On this day: 18 January

The deadliest recorded disaster on 18 January was the 1586 magnitude 8.2 earthquake near Ise Bay, which killed 8,000 people.

Historic disasters

Recorded deaths

8,208

Eruptions began

Major events since 1900

Disasters on 18 January in history

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

M8.2 earthquake, Ise Bay
18 January 1586JapanTriggered a tsunami8,000 killed10,000 homes destroyed
M7.0 earthquake, Tainan
18 January 1964Taiwan107 killed479 injured3,000 homes destroyed
Merapi eruption (VEI 2)
18 January 1954Indonesia64 killed57 injured144 homes destroyed
M5.7 earthquake, Farindola
18 January 2017Italy34 killed11 injured$18m damage
M7.2 earthquake, Garhi Khairo, Quetta, Balochistan
18 January 2011Pakistan3 killed200 homes destroyed
M5.7 earthquake, Azarbaijan
18 January 2023Iran252 injured370 homes destroyed$50m damage
M6.9 earthquake, E. Honshu Island
18 January 1981JapanTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Off the Coast Near la Vela
18 January 1955VenezuelaTriggered a tsunami
M6.3 earthquake, San Martin, Quezaltenango
18 January 1902GuatemalaTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Manila
18 January 1830PhilippinesTriggered a tsunami
Tsunami, N. California
18 January 1827USA
Katla eruption (VEI 4)
18 January 1311Iceland
Earthquake, Borgogne
18 January 1155Italy
M7.0 earthquake, Teverya (Tiberias), Ariha (Jericho)
18 January 746IsraelTriggered a tsunami

Big earthquakes and major disasters on 18 January in recent decades.

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.