April 26, 1986 Earthquake: Dharmsala, Lahore, Pakistan, Kashmir, India
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Dharmsala, Lahore, Pakistan, Kashmir, India on April 26, 1986 at 07:35:16 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 6 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
- April 26, 1986
- Time
- 07:35:16 UTC
- Place
- Dharmsala, Lahore, Pakistan, Kashmir, India
- Magnitude
- 5.3 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 32.128° N, 76.374° E
- Country
- India
The toll
- Deaths
- 6
- Injuries
- 30; 60 with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000) with its tsunami and other effects
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.
Six people killed, about 30 injured and 85 percent of the houses damaged in the Dharmsala, India area. Felt at Lahore, Paksitan. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 4, 1905, Kangra, India
- January 19, 1975, Kinnaur District, Kashmir, India
- August 23, 1980, Kashmir, India
- May 1, 2013, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kashmir, India
- August 23, 1980, Kashmir, India
- June 13, 2023, Kishtwar, Kashmir, India
- May 19, 2009, Kashmir, India
- August 2, 2013, Kishtwar, Kashmir, India
- September 1555, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
More
Significant earthquakes of 1986The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1986Recent 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 5093.