Open Earth

On this day: 8 August

The deadliest recorded disaster on 8 August was the 1303 magnitude 8.0 earthquake near Crete, which killed 4,000 people.

Historic disasters

28

Recorded deaths

7,112

Eruptions began

11

Major events since 1900

20

Disasters on 8 August in history

Damaging earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions from the NOAA Natural Hazards database, deadliest first.

  • M8.0 earthquake, Crete

    8 August 1303GreeceTriggered a tsunami4,000 killed

  • Earthquake, Cividale del Fruili

    8 August 1511Italy3,000 killed

  • M7.5 earthquake, Northeastern Coast

    8 August 1946Dominican RepublicTriggered a tsunami75 killed

  • M6.5 earthquake, Sichuan Province: Aba

    8 August 2017China29 killed525 injured100 homes destroyed$500m damage

  • M6.9 earthquake, Arica, Iquique

    8 August 1987Chile5 killed112 injured1,000 homes destroyed$1m damage

  • M3.4 earthquake, Chongqing Province: Rongchang

    8 August 2009China2 killed1 injured440 homes destroyed

  • M5.3 earthquake, Honshu: S Coast

    8 August 1983Japan1 killed28 injured

  • M7.1 earthquake, Miyazaki

    8 August 2024JapanTriggered a tsunami14 injured1 homes destroyed

  • M5.8 earthquake, Denizli

    8 August 2019Turkey

  • M6.3 earthquake, Xingjiang: Bortala

    8 August 2017China32 injured142 homes destroyed

  • Kasatochi eruption (VEI 4)

    8 August 2008United States

  • Tsunami, Kasatochi Volcano, Aleutian Is, Ak

    8 August 2008USAWaves up to 0.19 m

  • M7.5 earthquake, Java

    8 August 2007Indonesia

  • M5.3 earthquake, Sichuan Province: Rulong

    8 August 2002China8 homes destroyed

  • M7.8 earthquake, Tuman Bay, Apra Harbor

    8 August 1993USA TerritoryTriggered a tsunami48 injured$250m damage

  • Hudson, Cerro eruption (VEI 5)

    8 August 1991Chile

  • Earthquake, S

    8 August 1951Italy

  • Tsunami, Coney Island, Ny

    8 August 1924USAWaves up to 4.6 m4 injured

  • M5.9 earthquake, Central

    8 August 1922Greece

  • Tsunami, Aegean Sea

    8 August 1922Greece

  • M7.5 earthquake, E of North Island

    8 August 1904New ZealandTriggered a tsunami

  • M7.7 earthquake, Colombia

    8 August 1903Colombia

  • Tsunami, Central Chile

    8 August 1899Chile

  • Tsunami, Central Chile

    8 August 1879Chile

  • Tsunami, Alaska Peninsula, Ak

    8 August 1827USA

  • M6.5 earthquake, E. Awa, Tokushima Prefecture

    8 August 1808JapanTriggered a tsunami

  • Vesuvius eruption (VEI 3)

    8 August 1779Italy

  • M5.5 earthquake, Yunnan Province: Jiangshui

    8 August 1539China

Major events from our live records

Big earthquakes and major disasters on 8 August in recent decades.

Eruptions that began on 8 August

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.

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