World Map › Major Earthquakes Since 1900 › 1979
Historic Earthquake
1979 Yapen Earthquake
12 September 1979 · New Guinea, Irian Jaya · Indonesia
On 12 September 1979 at 05:17 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Indonesia (New Guinea, Irian Jaya), at a depth of 5 km. It occurred on the Bird's Head Plate, 133 km from its boundary with the Maoke Plate (continental transform fault). It killed at least 115 people (including tsunami victims). 1,000 homes were destroyed.
- Date
- 12 September 1979
- Time
- 05:17 UTC
- Magnitude
- 7.9
- Depth
- 5 km
- Deaths
- 115
- Homes Destroyed
- 1,000
- Tsunami
- See the tsunami (2.0 m wave)
- Plate
- Bird's Head Plate
- Country
- Indonesia
Nearby Major Earthquakes
Other major earthquakes recorded within 300 km.
- 2004February 2004 Nabire Earthquakes · M 7.3
- 20022002 West Papua Earthquake · M 7.68 deaths
- 19961996 Biak Earthquake · M 8.2164 deaths
- 1985New Guinea, Irian Jaya · M 7.1
- 1957New Guinea, Irian Jaya · M 7.3
- 1916New Guinea, Irian Jaya · M 8.1
- 1916New Guinea, Irian Jaya · M 8.1
- 1914New Guinea, Irian Jaya · M 8.1
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Significant Earthquake Database (doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K) · Wikidata · Bird (2003), PB2002 · Natural Earth