March 23, 1983 Earthquake: Vonitsa, Greece
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Vonitsa, Greece on March 23, 1983 at 23:51:06 UTC, 19 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
- March 23, 1983
- Time
- 23:51:06 UTC
- Place
- Vonitsa, Greece
- Magnitude
- 6.2 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 19 km (12 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.294° N, 20.262° E
- Country
- Greece
The toll
- Injuries
- 7
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 160
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.
Seven people injured and 160 homes damaged in the Vonitsa area. Felt strongly along the west coast of Greece and on Levkas, Keffallinia and Zakinthos. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 7, 551, Schisma, Boetia, Greece
- September 30, 1636, Cephalonia, Greece
- August 12, 1953, Lixouri-Argostoli (Kephallenia), Greece
- December 29, 1820, Zakinthos (Zante), Greece
- August 27, 1886, Triphylie (Peleponese), Philiatra, Greece
- July 11, 1767, Kefalonia, Greece
- February 4, 1867, Cephalonia, Greece
- August 23, 1817, Aeghion, Achaia, Greece
- February 25, 1742, Zakynthos, Greece
- February 5, 1786, Corfu (Kerkira), Greece
- August 1, 1870, Itea Delphi (Phokis), Greece
- September 30, 1870, Greece
- May 13, 1895, Margarition-Filiates (Thesprotia), Greece
- March 23, 1783, Lefkada, Greece
- January 19, 1825, Leukas, Ionian Islands, Greece
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 4966.