📅 March 11

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What happened on March 11? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.

Events

• 2020 — The World Health Organization (WHO) officialy declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic.

  World Health OrganizationCOVID-19COVID-19 pandemic

• 2020 — The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 virus epidemic a pandemic.

  World Health OrganizationSARS-CoV-2COVID-19 pandemic

• 2012 — U.S. Army soldier Robert Bales murdered sixteen civilians and wounded six others in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

  United States ArmyRobert BalesKandahar massacre

• 2011 — A massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan and triggered a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

  2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiTōhoku regionFukushima nuclear accident

• 2010 — During the inauguration of Chilean president Sebastián Piñera, earthquakes registering 6.9 and 7.0 .mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}Mw struck the O'Higgins Region near the city of Pichilemu, causing widespread damage.

  Sebastián Piñera2010 Pichilemu earthquakesSeismic magnitude scales

• 2009 — A teenage gunman engaged in a shooting spree at a secondary school in Winnenden, Germany, killing 16, including himself.

  2009 Winnenden shootingsWinnenden

• 2007 — Georgian authorities accused Russia of orchestrating a helicopter attack in the Kodori Valley, in the breakaway territory of Abkhazia.

  2007 Georgia helicopter incidentKodori ValleyAbkhazia

• 1993 — The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Janet Reno as the first female United States attorney general.

  United States SenateJanet RenoUnited States Attorney General

• 1984 — The anime film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki was released.

  AnimeNausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)Hayao Miyazaki

• 1978 — After hijacking a bus north of Tel Aviv, Israel, members of the Palestine Liberation Organization faction Fatah engaged in a shootout with police, resulting in the deaths of 38 civilians and most of the perpetrators.

  Coastal road massacreTel AvivPalestine Liberation Organization

• 1888 — The Great Blizzard of 1888 struck the northeastern United States, producing snowdrifts in excess of 50 ft (15 m) and confining some people to their houses for up to a week.

  Great Blizzard of 1888Snowdrift

• 1851 — The first performance of Verdi's Rigoletto took place at La Fenice in Venice (poster pictured).

  RigolettoLa Fenice

• 1845 — Māori forces, led by chiefs Te Ruki Kawiti and Hōne Heke, attacked the British settlement of Kororāreka, New Zealand, beginning the Flagstaff War.

  Māori peopleTe Ruki KawitiHōne Heke

• 1843 — During a period of activity known as the Great Eruption, Eta Carinae (pictured) briefly became the second-brightest star in the night sky.

  Eta CarinaeList of brightest stars

• 1708 — Queen Anne withheld royal assent from the Scottish Militia Bill, in the most recent veto by a British monarch of a bill that had been passed by Parliament.

  Anne, Queen of Great BritainRoyal assentScottish Militia Bill

• 1669 — Mount Etna in Sicily began erupting, eventually producing the largest lava flow in the volcano's history, and damaging Catania and other towns.

  Mount Etna1669 eruption of Mount EtnaCatania

Births

• 2004 — Margarita Kolosov, German rhythmic gymnast

  Margarita Kolosov

• 2003 — Tristan Vukčević, Serbian-Swedish basketball player

  Tristan Vukčević

• 1997 — Travis Konecny, Canadian ice hockey player

  Travis Konecny

• 1997 — Ray Spalding, American basketball player

  Ray Spalding

• 1996 — Conor Garland, American ice hockey player

  Conor Garland

• 1994 — Andy Robertson, Scottish footballer

  Andy Robertson

• 1993 — Jodie Comer, English actress

  Jodie Comer

• 1993 — Anthony Davis, American basketball player

  Anthony Davis

• 1992 — Austin Swift, American producer and actor

  Austin Swift

• 1990 — Ayumi Morita, Japanese tennis player

  Ayumi Morita

• 1989 — Malcolm Delaney, American basketball player

  Malcolm Delaney

• 1989 — Orlando Johnson, American basketball player

  Orlando Johnson

Deaths

• 2025 — Junior Bridgeman, American basketball player and businessman (born 1953)

  Junior Bridgeman

• 2025 — Clive Revill, New Zealand actor and singer (born 1930)

  Clive Revill

• 2024 — Paul Alexander, Polio survivor (born 1946)

  Paul Alexander (polio survivor)

• 2022 — Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia (born 1937)

  Rupiah BandaPresident of Zambia

• 2021 — Ray Campi, American singer and musician (born 1934)

  Ray Campi

• 2021 — Takis Mousafiris, Greek composer and songwriter (born 1936)

  Takis Mousafiris

• 2018 — Ken Dodd, English comedian and singer (born 1927)

  Ken Dodd

• 2018 — Siegfried Rauch, German actor (born 1932)

  Siegfried Rauch

• 2018 — Karl Lehmann, German cardinal (born 1936)

  Karl Lehmann

• 2018 — Mary Rosenblum, American science fiction and mystery author (born 1952)

  Mary Rosenblum

• 2016 — Iolanda Balaș, Romanian high jumper (born 1936)

  Iolanda Balaș

• 2016 — Doreen Massey, English geographer and political activist (born 1944)

  Doreen Massey (geographer)

Observances & holidays

• Christian feast day: Alberta of Agen

  Alberta of Agen

• Christian feast day: Constantine

  Constantine (British saint)

• Christian feast day: Óengus of Tallaght

  Óengus of Tallaght

• Christian feast day: Sophronius of Jerusalem

  Sophronius of Jerusalem

• Christian feast day: Vindicianus

  Vindicianus

• Day of Restoration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 (Lithuania)

  Public holidays in LithuaniaLithuania

• Moshoeshoe Day (Lesotho)

  Moshoeshoe ILesotho

• Saudi Flag Day

  Saudi Flag Day

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