March 31, 1983 Earthquake: SW, Popayan, Colombia
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck SW, Popayan, Colombia on March 31, 1983 at 13:12:52 UTC, 22 km below the surface. It killed 350 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
- March 31, 1983
- Time
- 13:12:52 UTC
- Place
- SW, Popayan, Colombia
- Magnitude
- 4.9 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 22 km (14 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 2.461° N, 76.686° W
- Country
- Colombia
The toll
- Deaths
- 350
- Injuries
- 1,200
- Damage
- $410.9 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.
Between 250 and 350 people killed, many injured and extensive damage (VIII) in the Popayan area. Felt from Bogota to Pasto. (reference #1053)
250 killed, 1,200 injured, $410.9 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 6, 1994, Cauca, Huila, Colombia
- November 16, 1827, Bogota, Neiva, Popayan, Pasto, Huila, Colombia
- January 9, 1936, Colombia
- February 8, 1995, Cali, Pereira, Armenia, Calarca, Colombia
- August 7, 1935, Funes, Colombia
- July 14, 1947, Pasto, Colombia
- June 12, 2018, Pasto, Colombia
- January 26, 2019, Cauca, Huila, Colombia
- April 25, 1751, Popayan, Colombia
- May 25, 1885, Popayan, Colombia
- February 2, 1735, Popayan, Colombia
- March 6, 2007, Cauca, Sotara, Purace,, Colombia
- 1566, Colombia
- March 1, 1834, Pasto, Colombia
- February 3, 1906, Colombia
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 4968.