185 people are killed during an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. The quake, while having a magnitude of only 6.3, had one of the highest intensities ever recorded in an urban area (MM IX).

The People Power Revolution begins in the Philippines. The nonviolent campaign resulted in the fall of President Ferdinand Marcos and the restoration of the country's democracy.

The play “Moose Murders” flops spectacularly on Broadway. According to critic Frank Rich, “a visit to Moose Murders is what will separate the connoisseurs of Broadway disaster from mere dilettantes for many moons to come.”

Czechoslovakia becomes a communist state following a coup d'etat. The country became a parliamentary republic following the non-violent “Velvet Revolution” in 1989 and was split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic in 1993.

The first Woolworth store opens in Utica, New york. Frank Woolworth's five-and-dime retail stores became one of the world's most successful trading companies with branches in many countries around the world.