March 20, 2006 Earthquake: Northern, Algeria
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Northern, Algeria on March 20, 2006 at 19:44:25 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 4 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 20, 2006
- Time
- 19:44:25 UTC
- Place
- Northern, Algeria
- Magnitude
- 4.9 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 36.623° N, 5.328° E
- Country
- Algeria
The toll
- Deaths
- 4
- Injuries
- 9
- Houses destroyed
- 62
- Houses damaged
- 62
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.
Four people killed and nine injured; 30 houses destroyed and 32 damaged; roads damaged, power outages occurred and water lines broken in the Kherrata area. Felt strongly in eastern Bejaia. (above from reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 21, 2003, Algiers, Boumerdes, Reghia, Thenia, Algeria
- February 12, 1946, Hodna Mountains, Algeria
- February 21, 1960, Melouza, Algeria
- November 16, 1869, Biskra, Algeria
- December 3, 1885, M'Sila, Algeria
- June 24, 1910, Masqueray, Kabylia, Algeria
- May 27, 2003, Algiers, Boumerdes, Reghaia, Algeria
- August 22, 1856, Northern, Algeria
- October 27, 1985, Annaba-Setif-Souk, Algeria
- August 1, 2014, Algiers, Algeria
- August 21, 1856, Northern, Algeria
- January 1, 1965, M'Sila, Algeria
- May 14, 2010, Beni Yellman, Northern, Algeria
- July 11, 1975, Djebel Babor, Algeria
- February 25, 1968, El Alen (Babord), Algeria
More
Significant earthquakes of 2006The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2006Recent 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 7231.