Significant earthquakes of 1998

March 14, 1998 Earthquake: Golbaf, Baft, Kerman, Iran

March 14, 1998 · M6.6 · 5 deaths · 2,000 houses destroyed

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Golbaf, Baft, Kerman, Iran on March 14, 1998 at 19:40:27 UTC, 9 km below the surface. It killed 5 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 14, 1998
Time
19:40:27 UTC
Place
Golbaf, Baft, Kerman, Iran
Magnitude
6.6 (Mw)
Focal depth
9 km (6 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
30.154° N, 57.605° E
Country
Iran

The toll

Deaths
5
Injuries
50
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Houses destroyed
2,000

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.

1998, March 14. Five people killed, 50 injured, 10,000 homeless, 2,000 houses destroyed, 1,200 livestock killed and utilities disrupted in the Golbaf area. Felt at Baft and Kerman. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

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 5487.