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
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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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