1997 an earthquake strikes the italian regions of umbria and the 09 26
View in full resolution: 737 x 488
1997 29 years ago Historical Events September 26

An earthquake strikes the Italian regions of Umbria and the Marche, causing part of the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi to collapse.

On September 26, in the year 1997, An earthquake strikes the Italian regions of Umbria and the Marche, causing part of the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi to collapse. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of September 26, one of 450 recorded events on this date across all of history.

The 1997 Umbria and Marche earthquakes occurred in the regions of Umbria and Marche, central Italy over a period of several months from September 1997 to April 1998. It consisted of eight earthquakes with magnitudes greater than Mw 5. The first of the larger shocks, which measured Mw 5.7, occurred at 02:33 CEST on 26 September 1997. It was preceded by several foreshocks, beginning with a Mw 4.5 event on 3 September. A second and slightly larger shock occurred about nine hours later at 11:40 CEST, rated Mw 6.0. The epicentres of first two larger earthquakes were in Annifo. The shaking associated with first two larger shocks was estimated at VIII (Severe) and X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale, respectively.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on September 26, 1997 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 27 August 2026.

On This Date in History 450

Type Year Date Event
Historical Events 2024 Sep 26 Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Perry, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, killing over 250 people, causing US$78.7…
Notable Deaths 2024 Sep 26 John Ashton, American actor (born 1948)
Historical Events 2022 Sep 26 A mass shooting occurs at a school in Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia, resulting in the deaths of 18 people, including 11…
Notable Deaths 2019 Sep 26 Jacques Chirac, French politician, President of France (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2016 Sep 26 Toughie, last known Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog (h. fl. 2005)
Selected Events 2016 Sep 26 The Ecnomiohyla rabborum became extinct when the last known surviving member died in captivity.
Notable Deaths 2015 Sep 26 Eudóxia Maria Froehlich, Brazilian zoologist (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2015 Sep 26 Sidney Phillips, American soldier, physician, and author (born 1924)
Notable Deaths 2015 Sep 26 Ana Seneviratne, Sri Lankan police officer and diplomat (born 1927)
Historical Events 2014 Sep 26 A mass kidnapping of 43 students from a teaching college occurs in Iguala, Mexico.
Notable Deaths 2014 Sep 26 Jim Boeke, American football player and coach (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2014 Sep 26 Sam Hall, American screenwriter (born 1921)
Notable Deaths 2014 Sep 26 Gerald Neugebauer, American astronomer and physicist (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2014 Sep 26 Tamir Sapir, Georgian-American businessman (born 1946)
Selected Events 2014 Sep 26 Forty-three students of the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College in Iguala, Mexico, were kidnapped and probably later…
Notable Deaths 2013 Sep 26 Azizan Abdul Razak, Malaysian politician, 10th Menteri Besar of Kedah (born 1944)
Notable Deaths 2013 Sep 26 Seánie Duggan, Irish hurler (born 1922)
Notable Deaths 2013 Sep 26 Mario Montez, Puerto Rican-American actor (born 1935)
Notable Deaths 2013 Sep 26 Sos Sargsyan, Armenian actor and director (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2012 Sep 26 M'el Dowd, American actress and singer (born 1933)
Notable Deaths 2012 Sep 26 Sylvia Fedoruk, Canadian physicist and politician, 17th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan (born 1927)
Notable Deaths 2012 Sep 26 Eugene Genovese, American historian and author (born 1930)
Notable Deaths 2012 Sep 26 Sam Steiger, American journalist and politician (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2011 Sep 26 Bob Cassilly, American sculptor, founded the City Museum (born 1949)
Historical Events 2010 Sep 26 The Philippine Bar exam bombing occurs near the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila injuring 47 people.
Notable Deaths 2010 Sep 26 Terry Newton, English rugby player (born 1978)
Notable Deaths 2010 Sep 26 Gloria Stuart, American actress (born 1910)
Selected Events 2010 Sep 26 Scottish aid worker Linda Norgrove and three Afghan colleagues were kidnapped by members of the Taliban in Kunar…
Historical Events 2009 Sep 26 Typhoon Ketsana hits the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, causing 700 fatalities.
Notable Deaths 2008 Sep 26 Marc Moulin, Belgian keyboard player, producer, and journalist (born 1942)
Notable Deaths 2008 Sep 26 Paul Newman, American actor, director, producer, and businessman (born 1925)
Selected Events 2008 Sep 26 Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy (pictured) flew a wingpack powered by jet engines across the English Channel.
Notable Deaths 2007 Sep 26 Bill Wirtz, American businessman (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2006 Sep 26 Byron Nelson, American golfer and coach (born 1912)
Notable Deaths 2006 Sep 26 Iva Toguri D'Aquino, American wartime propaganda broadcaster (born 1916)
Notable Deaths 2005 Sep 26 Helen Cresswell, English author and screenwriter (born 1934)
Notable Deaths 2004 Sep 26 Marianna Komlos, Canadian bodybuilder, model, and wrestler (born 1969)
Notable Births 2003 Sep 26 Jane Remover, American musician
Notable Deaths 2003 Sep 26 Shawn Lane, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer (born 1963)
Notable Deaths 2003 Sep 26 Robert Palmer, English singer-songwriter (born 1949)
Historical Events 2002 Sep 26 The overcrowded Senegalese ferry, MV Le Joola, capsizes off the coast of the Gambia killing more than 1,000.
Notable Deaths 2002 Sep 26 Nils Bohlin, Swedish engineer, invented three-point safety belt (born 1920)
Notable Births 2001 Sep 26 Xinyu Wang, Chinese tennis player
Historical Events 2000 Sep 26 Anti-globalization protests in Prague (some 20,000 protesters) turn violent during the IMF and World Bank summits.
Historical Events 2000 Sep 26 The MS Express Samina sinks off Paros in the Aegean Sea killing 80 passengers.
Notable Births 2000 Sep 26 Frankie Amaya, American soccer player
Notable Births 2000 Sep 26 Princess Salma bint Abdullah, Jordanian princess
Notable Deaths 2000 Sep 26 Richard Mulligan, American actor (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2000 Sep 26 Baden Powell de Aquino, Brazilian guitarist and composer (born 1937)
Notable Deaths 1999 Sep 26 Oseola McCarty, American philanthropist (born 1908)

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

More on September 26

Browse Further

📅 All events on September 26 450 events 📖 All events in 1997 🏷 More Historical Events events
0

Comments 0

Sign in to join the discussion.