Significant earthquakes of 1983

July 22, 1983 Earthquake: NW, Zanjin, Iran

July 22, 1983 · M5 · 4 deaths · $5 million · 75 houses destroyed

A magnitude 5 earthquake struck NW, Zanjin, Iran on July 22, 1983 at 02:41:00 UTC, 41 km below the surface. It killed 4 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
July 22, 1983
Time
02:41:00 UTC
Place
NW, Zanjin, Iran
Magnitude
5 (Ms)
Focal depth
41 km (25 mi)
Intensity
6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
36.948° N, 49.180° E
Country
Iran

The toll

Deaths
4
Injuries
41
Damage
$5 million
Houses destroyed
75

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.

3 people killed, 41 injured, 75 houses destroyed in Zajan area (reference #1053)

4 people killed, 41 injured, 7 villages destroyed, 75 houses destroyed, $5 million damage, magnitude 5 (Ms) and 5.5 (Mw), MMI 6. (reference #12864)

Reference #1250 lists $5 million damage, 3 deaths, 41 injured.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1983The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1983Recent 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 4983.