April 10, 1998 Earthquake: Birjand, Gonabad, Iran
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Birjand, Gonabad, Iran on April 10, 1998 at 15:00:53 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 12 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 10, 1998
- Time
- 15:00:53 UTC
- Place
- Birjand, Gonabad, Iran
- Magnitude
- 5.8 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 32.457° N, 59.976° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 12
- Injuries
- 30
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 600
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.
1998, April 10. At least 12 people killed, 10 injured and more than 600 homes severely damaged in the Birjand-Gonabad area. (reference #1053)
12 killed, 30 injured, 600 houses destroyed, magnitude 5.7 (Ms & Mw), MMI 7 (reference #12864)
12 deaths, 30 injured. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 30, 1549, Qayen (Qain),khorasan, Iran
- May 10, 1997, Birjand, Ghaen, Afghanistan, Iran
- February 16, 1941, Mohammadabad, Iran
- September 23, 1947, Dustabad, Iran
- November 14, 1979, Khorasan, Iran
- January 16, 1979, Bonzanabad, Iran
- April 1, 1962, Mussavieh, Iran
- November 27, 1979, Iran
- November 7, 1976, Khorasan Province, Iran
- June 30, 1936, Abiz, Sarbisheh, Iran
- December 5, 2012, Khorasan Province, Iran
- February 23, 1994, Sistan, Iran
- March 8, 1928, Nehbandan, Iran
- February 10, 1946, Giv (SE Birjand), Iran
- January 27, 1993, Nehbandan, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1998The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1998Recent 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 5491.