The 1989 Gissar earthquake occurred at 23:02 UTC on 22 January near Gissar in Tajikistan. The shock had a body wave magnitude of 5.3 and a maximum felt intensity of VII (Very strong) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The National Geophysical Data Center reported that the death toll from the event amounted to about 274, and the National Earthquake Information Center stated there were many injured. Nearly all the casualties were caused by mudslides which buried Sharora and two nearby villages. The earthquake was the deadliest in 1989.

1989 Gissar earthquake

UTC time	1989-01-22 23:02:07
ISC event	416139
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	January 23, 1989 (1989-01-23)
Local time	05:02:07
Magnitude	5.3 mb [1]
Depth	33 km (21 mi) [1]
Epicenter	38°28′N 68°41′E / 38.47°N 68.69°E / 38.47; 68.69 [1]
Areas affected	Tajikistan
Total damage	$24 million [2]
Max. intensity	MMI VII (Very strong) [2]
Casualties	274 dead[2] Many injured[1]