June 11, 1981 Earthquake: Golbaft, SE, Iran
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Golbaft, SE, Iran on June 11, 1981 at 07:24:25 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 1,400 people.
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
- June 11, 1981
- Time
- 07:24:25 UTC
- Place
- Golbaft, SE, Iran
- Magnitude
- 6.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 29.913° N, 57.715° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 1,400
- Injuries
- 3,000
- Damage
- $5 million
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.
3000 people reported killed, many injured and extensive damage in Kerman Province. (reference #1053)
Reference #1250 lists $5 million damage, 2000 deaths, 3000 injured.
1400 casualties, magnitude 6.7 (Ms) (reference #3937)
1400 people killed, 3000 injured, magnitude 6.6 (Ms & Mw) $5 million damage. (reference #12864)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 26, 2003, Bam, Baravat, Southeastern, Iran
- July 28, 1981, SE, Kerman, Iran
- April 18, 1911, Ravar, Iran
- February 22, 2005, Zarand, Kerman Province, Iran
- December 19, 1977, Bab-Tangol, Iran
- September 22, 1923, Sirjan, Iran
- March 14, 1998, Golbaf, Baft, Kerman, Iran
- November 20, 1989, Shahdad, Kerman Province, Iran
- March 4, 1999, Kerman, Southern, Iran
- 1896, Qobeh-E-Sabz (Kerman), Iran
- December 1, 2017, Kerman, Iran
- January 17, 1864, Kirman, Chatrud, Iran
- May 7, 2006, Zarand, Iran
- February 27, 2012, Ravar, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1981The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1981Recent 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 4921.