On this day: 23 May
Historic disasters
26
Recorded deaths
1,121
Eruptions began
16
Major events since 1900
20
Disasters on 23 May in history
Damaging earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions from the NOAA Natural Hazards database, deadliest first.
M6.8 earthquake, Honshu: Tajima
23 May 1925Japan395 killed3,333 homes destroyed
Mayon eruption (VEI 3)
23 May 1897Philippines350 killed
M7.8 earthquake, Irian Jaya: Manokwari
23 May 1864IndonesiaTriggered a tsunami250 killed
M6.0 earthquake, Yunnan Province
23 May 1761China120 killed120 injured1,900 homes destroyed
M7.1 earthquake, South Island: Nw Coast
23 May 1968New Zealand3 killed$3m damage
M5.5 earthquake, Yunnan: Ninglang; Sichuan: Yanyuan
23 May 2001China2 killed605 injured$36m damage
M5.2 earthquake, Mindanao: Talakag-Malaybalay
23 May 1987Philippines1 killed2 injured
M5.8 earthquake, Yunnan Province
23 May 2014China15 injured$60m damage
M8.2 earthquake, Macquarie Station; New Zealand
23 May 1989AustraliaTriggered a tsunami
M5.6 earthquake, Thessaloniki, Volvi, Langadas
23 May 1978Greece2 injured
M6.4 earthquake, Turkey
23 May 1961TurkeyTriggered a tsunami
M7.5 earthquake, Fiji Islands
23 May 1956Fiji
M6.0 earthquake, Shandong Province
23 May 1948ChinaTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Japan Trench
23 May 1938JapanTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Kaimana
23 May 1915IndonesiaTriggered a tsunami
M8.0 earthquake, Mandalay, Mogok, Maymyo
23 May 1912Myanmar (Burma)
Earthquake, Kathmandu
23 May 1866Nepal
Earthquake, Sea of Alboran
23 May 1857AlgeriaTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Khalki
23 May 1851GreeceTriggered a tsunami
Tsunami, Cornwall, England
23 May 1847UK
Earthquake, Callao
23 May 1847PeruTriggered a tsunami
M6.3 earthquake, Al-Karak; Israel: Jerusalem, Nabulus
23 May 1834Jordan
Tsunami, Constantinople
23 May 1829Turkey
Earthquake, Istanbul
23 May 1829TurkeyTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Oaxaca
23 May 1795Mexico
Earthquake, Baghdad
23 May 860Iraq
Major events from our live records
Big earthquakes and major disasters on 23 May in recent decades.
- 8.0
M8.0 earthquake - 1989 Macquarie Ridge Earthquake
10 km deep
Extreme - 7.9
M7.9 earthquake near Pangtara, Shan State
15 km deep
Extreme - 7.7
M7.7 earthquake near Kitaibaraki, Ibaraki
15 km deep
Extreme - 7.6
M7.6 earthquake - 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna
419 km deep
Extreme - 7.4
M7.4 earthquake - 292 km SW of Vaini, Tonga
174 km deep Tsunami flag
Extreme - 7.1
M7.1 earthquake near Richmond, Tasman District
23 km deep
Extreme - 7.1
M7.1 earthquake near Batac City, Ilocos
15 km deep
Extreme - 7.0
M7.0 earthquake near Heroica Guaymas, Sonora
10 km deep
Extreme - 6.8
M6.8 earthquake - southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge
10 km deep
Major - 6.6
M6.6 earthquake near Toyooka, Hyōgo
15 km deep
Major - 6.6
M6.6 earthquake - 223 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia
15 km deep
Major - 6.5
M6.5 earthquake - central Mid-Atlantic Ridge
8 km deep
Major - 6.5
M6.5 earthquake near Carahue, Araucania
20 km deep
Major - 6.5
M6.5 earthquake near Taunsa, Punjab
15 km deep
Major - 6.4
M6.4 earthquake near Sarigerme, Muğla
35 km deep
Major - 6.4
M6.4 earthquake near Traiguén, Araucania
25 km deep
Major - 6.3
M6.3 earthquake near Nuku‘alofa, Tongatapu
150 km deep Tsunami flag
Major - 6.3
M6.3 earthquake near Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero
55 km deep
Major - 6.3
M6.3 earthquake near Makurazaki, Kagoshima
161 km deep
Major - 6.3
M6.3 earthquake near Maullín, Los Lagos Region
25 km deep
Major
Eruptions that began on 23 May
From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.
- 2017Rincon de la Vieja, Costa RicaVEI 1
- 2008Ambrym, VanuatuVEI 2
- 2003Villarrica, ChileVEI 1
- 1986Atka Volcanic Complex, United StatesVEI 1
- 1968Kverkfjoll, IcelandVEI 0
- 1965Asamayama, JapanVEI 2
- 1963Poas, Costa RicaVEI 2
- 1939Veniaminof, United StatesVEI 3
- 1932Lewotobi, IndonesiaVEI 3
- 1930Fournaise, Piton de la, FranceVEI 0
- 1921Sumbing, IndonesiaVEI 2
- 1897Mayon, PhilippinesVEI 4
- 1863Marapi, IndonesiaVEI 2
- 1841Kuchinoerabujima, JapanVEI 2
- 1821Chokaisan, JapanVEI 2
- 1707Santorini, GreeceVEI 3