June 24, 1983 Earthquake: Vietnam
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Vietnam on June 24, 1983 at 07:18:22 UTC, 18 km below the surface.
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 24, 1983
- Time
- 07:18:22 UTC
- Place
- Vietnam
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 18 km (11 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 21.721° N, 103.282° E
- Country
- Vietnam
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50) with its tsunami and other effects
- Injuries
- Few (about 1 to 50) with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000)
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.
SOUTHEAST ASIA. Ms 6.4 (PAS). Felt (VI) at Haiphong, Hanoi and Hoa Binh, (V) at Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa and Tuyen Quang and (IV) at Ha Bae, Viet Nam. Also felt at Hong Kong. [FS]. (reference #1053)
The Tuan Giao earthquake of 24 June 1983 at Lai Chau province had magnitude of 6.7 and I = VIII. Many houses suffered damage and collapse during the earthquake. (reference #12758)
There were two large earthquakes, the 1935 Dien Bien earthquake (M6.75, according to earthquake catalog compiled by B. Gutenberg and C. Richter (GUTE) in 1954) in the northwestern part of MRF close to Dien Bien Phu city and the 24 June 1983 Tuan Giao earthquake (Mw 6.2, according to Harvard CMT (HRV) catalog) in the northwestern part of SLF close to Tuan Giao town, which caused great damage to houses and infrastructure, as well as killing or injuring dozens of people in landslides (Thuy, 2005) (reference #12782)
More recently,in 1935 and 1983, earthquakes of magnitude MS 6.7 - 6.8occurred in the north west of Vietnam, namely the Dien Bien Phu earthquake (November 1935) and the Tuangiao earthquake (June 24, 1983). Both destroyed and heavily damaged many houses, buildings and agricultural lands in an area covering about 13,000 km2. Many people died or were injured by the collapse of houses. These were the largest earthquakes recorded in Viet Nam since 1900. (reference #12783)
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 10512.