An earthquake cracks open the Sinila volcanic crater on the Dieng Plateau, releasing poisonous H2S gas and killing 149 villagers in the Indonesian province of Central Java. Date: February 20, 1979 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 1979 📅 On This Day (Today)
The Soviet Union launches its Mir spacecraft. Remaining in orbit for 15 years, it is occupied for ten of those years. Date: February 20, 1986 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 1986 📅 On This Day (Today)
The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast votes to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. Date: February 20, 1988 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 1988 📅 On This Day (Today)
In the Albanian capital Tirana, a gigantic statue of Albania's long-time leader, Enver Hoxha, is brought down by mobs of angry protesters. Date: February 20, 1991 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 1991 📅 On This Day (Today)
American figure skater Tara Lipinski, at the age of 15, becomes the youngest Olympic figure skating gold-medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Date: February 20, 1998 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 1998 📅 On This Day (Today)
A cooking gas cylinder explodes on board an Egyptian National Railways train in El Ayyat, causing a fire and killing over 370 people. Date: February 20, 2002 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 2002 📅 On This Day (Today)
During a Great White concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, a pyrotechnics display sets the Station nightclub ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 200 others. Date: February 20, 2003 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 2003 📅 On This Day (Today)
Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout. Date: February 20, 2005 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 2005 📅 On…
Two Tamil Tigers aircraft packed with C4 explosives en route to the national airforce headquarters are shot down by the Sri Lankan military before reaching their target, in a kamikaze style attack. Date: February 20, 2009 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 2009 📅…
In Madeira Island, Portugal, heavy rain causes floods and mudslides, resulting in at least 43 deaths, in the worst disaster in the history of the archipelago. Date: February 20, 2010 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on February 20 📅 Events on this day in 2010 📅 On This Day (Today)