Which 1963 earthquake in Skopje, then Yugoslavia, killed over 1,000 people?

The 1963 Skopje earthquake killed over 1,000 people in Skopje, then part of Yugoslavia.

The earthquake struck on 26 July 1963 and heavily damaged the city. More than 1,000 people died, thousands were injured, and much of Skopje’s built environment was destroyed or made unusable. The disaster led to a major international relief effort and reconstruction campaign.

Skopje’s rebuilding became an important episode in postwar urban planning. The United Nations helped coordinate assistance, and architects from several countries contributed ideas for rebuilding the city. The event also encouraged stronger attention to earthquake-resistant construction in the region.

The earthquake is sometimes confused with the 1976 Tangshan earthquake in China, which caused a much larger death toll. Both were devastating urban earthquakes, but they occurred in different countries and years.