A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kerman Province, Iran, killing an estimated 1,500 people and leaving 50,000 homeless.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 7.1 (surface-wave scale)
- Mercalli Intensity
- IX (Violent)
- Estimated Deaths
- 1,500 people
- Injured
- 1,000 people
- Homeless
- 50,000 people
- Time of Occurrence
- 20:52 local time (17:22 UTC)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Eastern Iran sits along active seismic fault zones within the broader Alpine-Himalayan belt. The Kerman Province has historically been prone to significant seismic activity due to tectonic stresses in the region, making large earthquakes a recurring hazard for its population and infrastructure.
On July 28, 1981, at 20:52 local time, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Sirch in Kerman Province, eastern Iran. The quake reached a maximum perceived intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli scale, causing widespread destruction in the city of Kerman and serious damage to surrounding towns and villages.
The earthquake killed an estimated 1,500 people, injured around 1,000 more, and left approximately 50,000 residents homeless. Extensive damage was recorded across the Kerman Region. The disaster struck just two months before a separate earthquake at Golbaf, further compounding hardship in the province.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 1,500 (earthquake)