Significant earthquakes of 1982

November 16, 1982 Earthquake: Bier, Berat, Lushnje, Albania, Balkans NW, North Macedonia

November 16, 1982 · M5.5 · 1 death · $5 million

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Bier, Berat, Lushnje, Albania, Balkans NW, North Macedonia on November 16, 1982 at 23:41:21 UTC, 21 km below the surface. It killed 1 person.

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
November 16, 1982
Time
23:41:21 UTC
Place
Bier, Berat, Lushnje, Albania, Balkans NW, North Macedonia
Magnitude
5.5 (Ms)
Focal depth
21 km (13 mi)
Intensity
8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
40.883° N, 19.590° E

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
12
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.

One person killed, 12 injured and extensive damage (VIII) in the Fier, Berat, and Lushnje districts. Felt (IV) at Titograd, Yugoslavia. Also felt in northwestern Greece and in southern Italy. (reference #1053)

$5 million damage. (reference #1250)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1982The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1982Recent 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 4953.