Earthquakes, January-February 1981

Abstract

The first 2 months of the year were somewhat active, seismically speaking. Two major earthquakes (magnitude 7.0-7.9) occurred during the month of January, a magnitude 7.1 Japan on the 8th and a magntidue 7.1 in the Aleutian Islands on the 30th. Fatalities and damage were experienced in Irian Jaya (formerly West New Guinea) on January 19, in China on January 23, in Italy on February 14, and in Greece on February 24. In the United States, there were a number of earthquakes, the largest, a magnitude 7.1, in the Aleutian Islands, but none of the quakes caused injuries or serious damage.