Open Earth

On this day: 16 March

The deadliest recorded disaster on 16 March was the 1925 magnitude 6.9 earthquake near Yunnan Province: Talifu, which killed 5,800 people.

Historic disasters

20

Recorded deaths

7,215

Eruptions began

60

Major events since 1900

20

Disasters on 16 March in history

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

  • M6.9 earthquake, Yunnan Province: Talifu

    16 March 1925China5,800 killed

  • M6.8 earthquake, Jiayi

    16 March 1906Taiwan1,258 killed145 injured6,769 homes destroyed

  • M5.8 earthquake, Litani

    16 March 1956Lebanon148 killed

  • M7.3 earthquake, Off Fukushima

    16 March 2022JapanTriggered a tsunami4 killed247 injured217 homes destroyed$8,800m damage

  • M6.5 earthquake, Flores: Endeh

    16 March 1961Indonesia2 killed6 injured

  • Earthquake, Luzon: Abra,Pangasinan,Union

    16 March 1892Philippines2 killed

  • M5.9 earthquake, Quetta, Nushki

    16 March 1978Pakistan1 killed

  • M7.0 earthquake, Kermadec Islands

    16 March 2023Kermadec Islands (New Zealand)Triggered a tsunami

  • M6.7 earthquake, Iquique

    16 March 2014ChileTriggered a tsunami

  • M5.8 earthquake, Surigao

    16 March 2012Philippines55 injured4 homes destroyed

  • M6.3 earthquake, Guadeloupe

    16 March 1985GuadeloupeTriggered a tsunami6 injured

  • Earthquake, Calabria

    16 March 1941ItalyTriggered a tsunami

  • M7.5 earthquake, Loyalty Islands

    16 March 1928New Caledonia

  • M5.6 earthquake, Batna

    16 March 1924Algeria

  • Tsunami, Java Sea

    16 March 1917IndonesiaWaves up to 1.5 m

  • M7.3 earthquake, Morelos,Guerrero

    16 March 1874Mexico

  • Earthquake, Java

    16 March 1863IndonesiaTriggered a tsunami

  • Earthquake, San Marcos

    16 March 1791Guatemala

  • Earthquake, San Cristobal; Colombia: Pamplona

    16 March 1644Venezuela

  • Earthquake, Cano Island

    16 March 1579Costa RicaTriggered a tsunami

Major events from our live records

Big earthquakes and major disasters on 16 March in recent decades.

Eruptions that began on 16 March

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.

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