Open Earth

On this day: 16 September

The deadliest recorded disaster on 16 September was the 1978 magnitude 7.4 earthquake near Tabas, which killed 20,000 people.

Historic disasters

22

Recorded deaths

30,719

Eruptions began

60

Major events since 1900

20

Disasters on 16 September in history

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

  • M7.4 earthquake, Tabas

    16 September 1978Iran20,000 killed15,000 homes destroyed$50m damage

  • Earthquake, Calabria,Montemurro

    16 September 1857Italy10,000 killed

  • Akagisan eruption

    16 September 1947Japan699 killed

  • M8.3 earthquake, Central

    16 September 2015ChileTriggered a tsunami15 killed14 injured2,305 homes destroyed$600m damage

  • M7.5 earthquake, Luzon: Bataan, Rizal, Pampanga,Manila

    16 September 1852PhilippinesTriggered a tsunami3 killed1 injured

  • M5.0 earthquake, Maharashtra

    16 September 2008India1 killed20 injured

  • M6.7 earthquake, Taiwan Region

    16 September 1994TaiwanTriggered a tsunami1 killed400 injured

  • Tsunami, Dickson Fjord, Greenland

    16 September 2023GreenlandWaves up to 200 m$0m damage

  • Tsunami, Myojinsho Submarine Volcano

    16 September 1952JapanWaves up to 0.28 m

  • Myojinsho eruption (VEI 2)

    16 September 1952Japan

  • M4.9 earthquake, Crimea: Sebastopol

    16 September 1927UkraineTriggered a tsunami

  • M6.9 earthquake, Solomon Islands

    16 September 1926Solomon IslandsTriggered a tsunami

  • M4.8 earthquake, Nola

    16 September 1921Central African Republic

  • Tsunami, New Brighton

    16 September 1891New Zealand

  • Earthquake, Near Mount Apo

    16 September 1878Philippines

  • Earthquake, Songhor(Sonqor)

    16 September 1872Iran

  • Tsunami, San Francisco, N. California

    16 September 1872USAWaves up to 0.1 m

  • Earthquake, Manila

    16 September 1830PhilippinesTriggered a tsunami

  • Tsunami, Marmara Sea

    16 September 1754Turkey

  • Earthquake, Guangdong Province

    16 September 1640ChinaTriggered a tsunami

  • M7.5 earthquake, Arica

    16 September 1615ChileTriggered a tsunami

  • M5.5 earthquake, Sichuan Province: Maowen

    16 September 1488China37 homes destroyed

Major events from our live records

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

Eruptions that began on 16 September

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.

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