November 13
2015
November 2015 Paris attacks
On the evening of November 13, 2015, a coordinated series of shootings and suicide bombings struck Paris and nearby Saint-Denis — including a mass shooting and hostage siege at the Bataclan concert hall and explosions near the Stade de France — killing 130 people and wounding hundreds. The assaults, claimed by ISIL, launched a multinational manhunt, led to a state of emergency in France, and reshaped counterterrorism policy across Europe. Read more
1985
Armero tragedy (Tragedia de Armero)
On November 13, 1985, an eruption of the glacier‑capped Nevado del Ruiz melted summit ice and sent fast, deadly lahars down river valleys that overwhelmed the town of Armero, Colombia. An estimated 20,000–25,000 people died—commonly cited as about 23,000—while the town was effectively destroyed. The disaster exposed failures in warning, communication, and preparedness that reshaped how Colombia and the world approach volcanic risk. Read more
1966
All Nippon Airways Flight 533
On November 13, 1966, an ANA NAMC YS‑11 on approach to Matsuyama Airport descended into the Seto Inland Sea short of the runway, killing all 50 people on board and prompting investigation into instrument approach practices at Japan’s regional airports. Read more
1965
SS Yarmouth Castle fire and sinking
In the early hours of November 13, 1965, the cruise ship SS Yarmouth Castle caught fire about 25 nautical miles off the east coast of Florida. Within hours the blaze consumed the ship’s largely combustible superstructure, dozens died and hundreds were rescued. The disaster exposed dangerous gaps in ship design, equipment, and training and pushed international rules on passenger-ship fire safety toward major change.
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1914
Battle of El Herri
On 13 November 1914, a French column sent from Khenifra into the Middle Atlas was ambushed and routed near the village of El Herri by the Zaian Confederation under Mouha ou Hammou Zayani. The encounter — a heavy defeat for the French with disputed but substantial casualties — reshaped French tactics in Morocco during World War I and became a lasting symbol of Moroccan resistance.
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Explore more events in November
Nov 19
Operation Uranus (Soviet strategic counteroffensive at Stalingrad)
Operation Uranus was the Soviet double-pincer counteroffensive that began on November 19, 1942, striking the thinly held Axis flanks north and south of Stalingrad. Within days Soviet armored formations linked near Kalach-on-Don and trapped roughly a quarter-million Axis troops in a ring that would not finally collapse until early February 1943. The operation marked a decisive turning point on the Eastern Front and exposed the dangers of overextended lines and poorly equipped allied contingents.
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Nov 20
Grand Mosque seizure (Masjid al‑Harām), Mecca, 1979
On November 20, 1979, a group of militants led by Juhayman al‑Otaybi entered and occupied the Grand Mosque in Mecca, proclaiming Muhammad al‑Qahtani the Mahdi. The seizure and the two‑week siege that followed—ending with Saudi forces retaking the mosque on December 4, 1979—left hundreds dead, dozens executed, and set off political and social changes that reshaped the kingdom for decades.
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Nov 21
Tornado outbreak of November 21–23, 1992
Between November 21 and 23, 1992, a potent mid‑latitude cyclone energized by a strong jet stream and unseasonably moist Gulf air produced a late‑season tornado outbreak across the central Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, and into the Midwest and Ohio Valley. The multi‑day event produced numerous tornadoes — including several long‑track and strong twisters — caused multiple fatalities and many injuries, and left tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. The outbreak highlighted the dangers of nocturnal and late‑season tornadoes and reinforced the push to complete Doppler radar coverage and improve public warning systems.
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