1981M6+ · 83
Earthquakes of 1981
In 1981 the world had 83 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more, 10 of them 7 or more; the strongest reached 7.7. 5,102 deaths were recorded. Each one with its place, depth, aftershocks and toll.
83M6+
10M7+ · M8+ 0
M7.7Strongest
5,102Deaths
Every earthquake of magnitude 6 or more · 1981
12Jan
6Feb
5Mar
5Apr
6May
7Jun
6Jul
1Aug
9Sep
9Oct
11Nov
6Dec
| Date | Where | Magnitude | Depth | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 January 1981 | off Japan | 6.1 | 242 km | |
| 18 January 1981 | off Antarctica | 6.0 | 22 km | |
| 18 January 1981 | off Japan | 6.2 | 33 km | |
| 18 January 1981 | off Japan | 6.9 | 33 km | |
| 19 January 1981 | off Japan | 6.1 | 33 km | |
| 19 January 1981 | Indonesia | 6.7 | 33 km | 305 |
| 19 January 1981 | off Papua New Guinea | 6.1 | 33 km | |
| 22 January 1981 | off Japan | 6.4 | 20 km | |
| 23 January 1981 | Japan | 6.3 | 116 km | |
| 23 January 1981 | China | 6.8 | 33 km | 150 |
| 23 January 1981 | Indian Ocean | 6.8 | 10 km | |
| 30 January 1981 | off the United States | 7.0 | 33 km | |
| 17 February 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.7 | 30 km | |
| 19 February 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 22 February 1981 | off Fiji | 6.2 | 33 km | |
| 24 February 1981 | off Greece | 6.7 | 33 km | 22 |
| 25 February 1981 | off Greece | 6.4 | 33 km | |
| 28 February 1981 | off Peru | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 4 March 1981 | Greece | 6.4 | 29 km | 1 |
| 6 March 1981 | off Costa Rica | 6.4 | 33 km | |
| 21 March 1981 | off Papua New Guinea | 6.0 | 227 km | |
| 23 March 1981 | off Chile | 6.2 | 46 km | |
| 26 March 1981 | off Indonesia | 6.1 | 61 km | |
| 9 April 1981 | Pacific Ocean | 6.2 | 10 km | |
| 24 April 1981 | off Vanuatu | 6.9 | 33 km | |
| 27 April 1981 | Pacific Ocean | 6.5 | 10 km | |
| 28 April 1981 | Pacific Ocean | 6.0 | 540 km | |
| 30 April 1981 | off Russia | 6.1 | 49 km | |
| 2 May 1981 | Afghanistan | 6.3 | 229 km | |
| 6 May 1981 | off Ecuador | 6.4 | 33 km | |
| 8 May 1981 | off Japan | 6.0 | 200 km | |
| 13 May 1981 | off Indonesia | 6.0 | 145 km | |
| 25 May 1981 | off New Zealand | 7.6 | 33 km | |
| 28 May 1981 | Papua New Guinea | 6.0 | 71 km | |
| 1 June 1981 | off Tonga | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 1 June 1981 | off Mexico | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 3 June 1981 | Atlantic Ocean | 6.4 | 10 km | |
| 9 June 1981 | China | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 11 June 1981 | Iran | 6.7 | 33 km | 1,400 |
| 13 June 1981 | off Australia | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 25 June 1981 | off French Southern Territories | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 6 July 1981 | off New Caledonia | 7.0 | 33 km | |
| 7 July 1981 | Atlantic Ocean | 6.4 | 10 km | |
| 14 July 1981 | off French Southern Territories | 6.1 | 10 km | |
| 15 July 1981 | off Vanuatu | 7.0 | 30 km | |
| 28 July 1981 | Iran | 7.1 | 33 km | 3,000 |
| 29 July 1981 | off Vanuatu | 6.2 | 40 km | |
| 23 August 1981 | off Russia | 6.0 | 40 km | |
| 1 September 1981 | off Samoa | 7.7 | 25 km | |
| 3 September 1981 | off Russia | 6.6 | 45 km | |
| 4 September 1981 | Philippines | 6.0 | 645 km | |
| 6 September 1981 | off Vanuatu | 6.2 | 31 km | |
| 12 September 1981 | Pakistan | 6.2 | 33 km | 220 |
| 17 September 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.6 | 30 km | |
| 21 September 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 25 September 1981 | off Japan | 6.1 | 25 km | |
| 28 September 1981 | off New Zealand | 6.0 | 323 km | |
| 4 October 1981 | off Papua New Guinea | 6.3 | 33 km | |
| 7 October 1981 | Indian Ocean | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 9 October 1981 | off Solomon Islands | 6.4 | 50 km | |
| 15 October 1981 | off Japan | 6.0 | 47 km | |
| 16 October 1981 | off Chile | 7.2 | 33 km | 1 |
| 17 October 1981 | off Indonesia | 6.1 | 179 km | |
| 17 October 1981 | Atlantic Ocean | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 25 October 1981 | Mexico | 7.3 | 33 km | 3 |
| 28 October 1981 | Pacific Ocean | 6.2 | 10 km | |
| 3 November 1981 | off the United States | 6.2 | 10 km | |
| 4 November 1981 | off Tonga | 6.3 | 33 km | |
| 6 November 1981 | off Papua New Guinea | 6.9 | 33 km | |
| 7 November 1981 | Chile | 6.8 | 65 km | |
| 7 November 1981 | Indian Ocean | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 15 November 1981 | Southern Ocean | 6.0 | 10 km | |
| 16 November 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.2 | 33 km | |
| 18 November 1981 | off New Zealand | 6.0 | 33 km | |
| 22 November 1981 | off the Philippines | 6.5 | 24 km | |
| 24 November 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.7 | 30 km | |
| 24 November 1981 | off New Caledonia | 6.2 | 33 km | |
| 6 December 1981 | off Papua New Guinea | 6.1 | 33 km | |
| 12 December 1981 | off Japan | 6.3 | 10 km | |
| 19 December 1981 | off Greece | 7.2 | 10 km | |
| 24 December 1981 | off New Zealand | 6.8 | 28 km | |
| 26 December 1981 | off New Zealand | 7.1 | 33 km | |
| 27 December 1981 | off Greece | 6.5 | 13 km |