Open Earth

On this day: 20 July

The deadliest recorded disaster on 20 July was the 1564 magnitude 5.8 earthquake near Corsica,la Bollene-Vesubie,Venanson, which killed 650 people.

Historic disasters

27

Recorded deaths

1,188

Eruptions began

15

Major events since 1900

20

Disasters on 20 July in history

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

  • M5.8 earthquake, Corsica,la Bollene-Vesubie,Venanson

    20 July 1564FranceTriggered a tsunami650 killed

  • M6.5 earthquake, Gansu Province

    20 July 1881China480 killed4,800 homes destroyed

  • Mayon eruption (VEI 3)

    20 July 1766Philippines49 killed

  • M6.6 earthquake, Bodrum, Datca; Greece: Kos

    20 July 2017TurkeyTriggered a tsunami2 killed500 injured

  • Tsunami, Xiaowan Reservoir, Yunnan Province

    20 July 2009ChinaWaves up to 30 m2 killed

  • Tsunami, South England

    20 July 1929UKWaves up to 6 m2 killed

  • M4.9 earthquake, Jiangsu Province

    20 July 2012China1 killed2 injured

  • M5.8 earthquake, Farsinaj

    20 July 2010Iran1 killed32 injured

  • M5.7 earthquake, Hualien, Su-Hua

    20 July 1988Taiwan1 killed1 injured

  • M7.4 earthquake, Kamchatka Peninsula

    20 July 2025RussiaTriggered a tsunami

  • M4.2 earthquake, Montclair

    20 July 2007USA

  • M5.6 earthquake, Xinjiang: Tekes

    20 July 2007China2,120 homes destroyed

  • M7.9 earthquake, Bismarck Sea: Bougainville

    20 July 1975Papua New GuineaTriggered a tsunami

  • M7.7 earthquake, Solomon Islands: Buin, Boku

    20 July 1975Papua New Guinea

  • M6.0 earthquake, Colombia-Ecuador

    20 July 1955Colombia

  • M6.1 earthquake, Central: Vassilikon

    20 July 1938GreeceTriggered a tsunami

  • M6.2 earthquake, Massawa, Muncullo

    20 July 1884EritreaTriggered a tsunami

  • Earthquake, Sw of Lake Bay, Manila

    20 July 1880Philippines

  • Earthquake, Lonthor Island

    20 July 1859IndonesiaTriggered a tsunami

  • Earthquake, Bagneres, Gripp, Lourdes, Arges

    20 July 1854France

  • Tsunami, Sanriku

    20 July 1850JapanWaves up to 2 m

  • M7.6 earthquake, Sanriku

    20 July 1835JapanTriggered a tsunami

  • Kelud eruption (VEI 2)

    20 July 1716Indonesia

  • Tsunami, Bay of Naples

    20 July 1707Italy

  • M5.1 earthquake, Verona

    20 July 1277Italy

  • M6.5 earthquake, N. Kagoshima Bay

    20 July 766JapanTriggered a tsunami

  • Aira eruption (VEI 3)

    20 July 766Japan

Major events from our live records

Big earthquakes and major disasters on 20 July in recent decades.

Eruptions that began on 20 July

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.

Browse every day of the year