October 10, 1980 Earthquake: Northern, Algeria
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Northern, Algeria on October 10, 1980 at 12:25:26 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 5,000 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- October 10, 1980
- Time
- 12:25:26 UTC
- Place
- Northern, Algeria
- Magnitude
- 7.1 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 36.199° N, 1.374° E
- Country
- Algeria
The toll
- Deaths
- 5,000
- Injuries
- 9,000
- Damage
- $5.2 billion
- Houses destroyed
- 25,000; 250,000 with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
At least 5,000 people killed, 9,000 injured and extensive damage in the El Asnam area. Felt throughout northwestern Algeria and in southeastern Spain. Approximately 42 kilometers of surface rupture observed. (Reference #1053)
On October 10th, 1980, the region of El Asnam, in the Algerian Atlas, experienced an earthquake of Ms = 7.3, which was the largest ever instrumentally recorded in North-West Africa. The earthquake destroyed at least 25,000 houses and killed about 2,500 people. The shock, which was felt within an area of a radius of about 360 kilometres, as far as Spain, was followed by a damaging aftershock of Ms = 6.1. The earthquake occurred on a previously unrecognised reverse fault and it was associated with a 35 kilometre long rupture on which the observed overall movement was up dip by about 280 centimetres. Ground motions in the epicentral area were significantly in excess of those anticipated by engineers, particularly in the vertical direction in which ground accelerations were very large. (reference #4022)
October 10, 1980, 11,000 deaths, $5200 million dollars damage. (reference #1250)
October 10, 1980, El Asnam, 2590 deaths. (reference #1051)
The only operating cable located on the bottom of the Balearic basin was torn near the city of Algiers after the earthquake. (reference #2130)
1980 October 10, 12:25:25.96 UTC, 36.199 N 1.374 E, magnitude 7.08 Mw (reference #10476, v. 9.1)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 1716, Algiers, Algeria
- March 2, 1825, Blida, Algiers, Algeria
- October 9, 1790, Cartagena, Santa Fe, Oran, Spain, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, Orleansville, Algeria
- August 18, 1994, Mascara, Algeria
- January 2, 1867, El Affroun, Algeria
- January 15, 1891, Bourava, Gouraya, Algeria
- October 29, 1989, Algiers, Cherchell, Tipaza, Algeria
- November 29, 1887, Kalaa, Algeria
- July 13, 1967, Near Sig, Algeria
- August 1, 2014, Algiers, Algeria
- January 26, 1987, Mohammadia, Qued, Fodda, Tissemsilt, Algeria
- June 6, 2008, Oran, Algeria
- January 9, 2008, Oran, Algeria
- August 25, 1922, Bordj Abou El Hasen, Dahra, Algeria
More
Significant earthquakes of 1980The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1980Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4896.