Travelling through the Mediterranean Sea tsunamis

Apulia 1627 (Italy) Adriatic Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: On July 30, 1627, a destructive earthquake struck the Gargano promontory (Apulia, Italy) and surrounding areas. The earthquake's epicenter, according to macroseismic data, was located inland with an estimated magnitude of 6.7.

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake caused a great tsunami described by many coeval authors. Along the Gargano coast, between S. Nicandro and the Fortore river mouth, near Lesina lake, the sea retreated by 2-3 miles, leaving the lake completely dry. The following inundation interested Lesina and the adjacent coast. Some authors write that tsunami waves arrived at half of Manfredonia (FG) city walls and reached the Ripalta (FG) Abbey which was submerged. The plains between Silvi Marina and Mutignano, in Teramo province (more than 100 km of the epicentre), were inundated. Widespread tsunami observations suggest that the earthquake was generated by a fault located off the Gargano coast  (Tinti and Piatanesi, 1996) .

Eastern Sicily 1693 (Italy) Ionian Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: Two strong earthquakes, on January 9, and on January 11, anticipated the strongest and most catastrophic earthquake of the last 1,000 years in Italy (Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes -  CPTI15 ). On January 11, 1693 the main earthquake occurred, it was felt in a wide area and caused many casualties (the official statistics, compiled in May 1693 reports about 54,000 deaths) and extensive damage to the artifacts.

THE TSUNAMI: In addition to the earthquake damages, considerable effects were generated by the tsunami. The tsunami,  according to historical sources , struck the eastern and southern side of Sicily from Messina to Marina di Ragusa for about 300 km of coastline. Effects were observed up to Lipari and Malta islands. In Augusta (SR) the withdrawal of the sea completely dried up the port, causing serious damages to the ships moored. The sea initially retreated, then flooding the neighborhood adjacent to the port, up to the church of S. Domenico, about 150 m from the sea. The tsunami caused many casualties, especially women and children who, scared by the quake felt in the previous days, found refuge camping near the pier (La Gazzetta di Bologna, March 3, 1693, Bologna (in Italian). Also the town of Catania was hit by the tsunami. Historical sources report that the sea retreated and invaded the town three times consecutively. The tsunami penetrated the city reaching Piazza San Filippo and caused the breaking of the moorings of some boats that were dragged to the pier. The tsunami caused remarkable effects also in Syracuse. 

Lisbon 1755 (Portugal) North Atlantic Ocean

THE EARTHQUAKE: On the morning of November 1, 1755, an earthquake occurred. The epicenter was located in the Atlantic Ocean a few tens of kilometers SSW from the city of Lisbon and with an estimated magnitude of 8.5. Warned in much of Europe, it almost totally destroyed the city of Lisbon, where it is estimated that between 25 and 30% of the population lost their lives. The event had a great echo throughout Europe and had great repercussions on Portuguese society, also inspiring reflections by historians and philosophers of the time such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant. The most severe effects were observed along the southwestern coasts of Europe. The earthquake also caused heavy damage in the cities of Algiers, Marrakech, Fez and Meknes in Morocco. 

THE TSUNAMI: The strong earthquake, located in the sea, caused a devastating tsunami. Several historical documents, written by contemporary authors, describe the effects that the tsunami waves caused along the coasts of Portugal and western Africa. The city of Lisbon was heavily damaged by the tsunami. Most of the coastal villages in the Algarve region, south of Portugal, were destroyed by the tsunami. Berninghausen (1964) wrote that in Madeira (Spain) the sea receded 100 steps (corresponding to about 75 meters) and then inundated the city with waves more than 15 feet (about 5 meters) above sea level. It is estimated that the event caused over 100,000 casualties considering the collapses caused by the earthquake, the tsunami effects, and the fires that broke out in urban areas (Gutscher et al., 2006).

Calabria 1783 (Italy) Tyrrhenian Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: During 1783 a long and persistent seismic crisis affected southern Italy, especially Calabria. Between February 5 and March 24 seven strong earthquakes were recorded, two of which seriously damaged a large area of southern Calabria and Messina. More than 380 localities were hit and more than 25,000 casualties were estimated.

THE TSUNAMI: The seismic events of 5 and 6 February caused two very destructive tsunamis, documented by several historical sources (Sarconi, 1784; Vivenzio, 1788). Particularly, the 5 February earthquake generated tsunami waves that struck the Sicilian coasts between Messina and Torre Faro (ME) and the Calabrian coasts between Scilla and Cenidio (RC). An initial sea withdrawal in some areas was observed and, later on, three consecutive floods occurred every 10-15 minutes. Widespread floods were observed between Capo Vaticano (VV) to the north and Catona (RC) to the south. The 6 February earthquake caused a large landslide which, falling into the sea, generated a tsunami that hit the coasts around the Strait of Messina. The inhabitants of Scilla, frightened by the continuous earthquake tremors, sought shelter from further collapses on the beach where, during the night, it was caught by the tsunami waves. It is estimated that the latter caused about 1,500 casualties.

Ligurian Sea 1887 (Italy) northwestern Mediterranean

THE EARTHQUAKE: This is one of the most relevant earthquakes that have occurred in Liguria. The earthquake caused serious damage between Menton and Albissola (SV) for about 100 km of coastline, causing about 160 injuries and more than 650 victims.

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake caused an initial sea withdrawal, widely observed along the Ligurian Riviera. In Porto Maurizio (GE) the sea level decreased rapidly leaving the seabed visible and then rapidly rising. In Sanremo a sea level lowering of about 1 meter was measured and many fishes remained dry on the shoreline; some ships broke their moorings. In Cannes and Antibes the sea lowered for about 1 meter leaving the boats dry, then the water rose up to a height of 2 meters. The tsunami reached its maximum run-up* (1.5 meters) in Imperia.

Calabria 1905 (Italy) Tyrrhenian Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: The earthquake occurred on 8 September 1905 at 01:43 am. It is considered one of the strongest earthquakes in Italian seismic history and, although relatively recent, one of the events for which we have less and more fragmentary information. Most of the news we have is inherited from native stories collected by contemporary authors. The earthquake caused widespread damage between the provinces of Cosenza, Catanzaro, Vibo Valentia, and Reggio Calabria. Over 550 people lost their lives.

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake generated a tsunami, widely observed from Tyrrhenian Calabria to the coasts of Lazio and the island of Ischia. The tsunami was recorded by the tide gauges of the Civitavecchia, Messina and Naples harbours. The tsunami waves submerged Scalea (CS), where they exceeded the cliff by more than 6 meters. In Pizzo Calabro (VV) the boats broke their moorings and were dragged for 30 meters inland. In Tropea (VV) the sea exceeded 2 meters in height and dragged away some huts built on the beach. Widespread floods were observed in Catanzaro Marina and a large ​​vortex was observed in the sea near the port of Milazzo (ME).

Messina and Reggio Calabria 1908 (Italy) Messina Strait, Tyrrhenian Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: The earthquake occurred on December 28, 1908, and is considered one of the greatest disasters  that hit Italy in the 20th century. The earthquake, recorded at 05:21 am, had its epicenter in the sea and an estimated magnitude greater than 7. 

THE TSUNAMI: The strong energy released by the earthquake in the sea, generated tsunami waves that reached the coasts in a few minutes . The tsunami spread from north to south, hitting the coasts of Calabria and Sicily. The highest run-up values were recorded between the provinces of Reggio Calabria (where a maximum height of 13 meters was measured in Pellaro, a district south of the city) and Messina. Run-ups of over 10 meters were measured on the island of Stromboli. In Messina city the tsunami waves reached 3 meters. In a short time the tsunami reached the island of Malta, where streets and shops were flooded and the boats dragged ashore by the rush of the waters. Even the tide gauges of Naples and Civitavecchia, respectively 300 and 500 km away, recorded the variations in the sea level. It is estimated that as a result of the tsunami several hundred people died, perhaps 2,000 or more, which added to the approximately 80,000 casualties due to the collapses and the effects of the earthquake.

Amorgos 1956 (Greece) Aegean Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: The earthquake, occurred in the Aegean Sea on July 9, 1956 at 03:11 UTC; it was located at about 5 km ENE of the island of Santorini  and is classified as one of the strongest seismic events that occurred in Greece in the 20th century (M 7.8). 

THE TSUNAMI: The tsunami waves generated by the earthquake measured the highest run-up on the southern coasts of the island of Amorgos, reaching 25 meters in height. The tsunami affected all the islands of the Aegean Sea. The northern coasts of the island of Crete were severely damaged; in Kalymnos the sea first retreated and then flooded the entire city of Pothea (for about 1.5 km from the coast) where, due to the energy of the tsunami waves, the houses and port structures were seriously compromised. There were 53 casualties and over 100 injured (Perissoratis, 1995).

Montenegro 1979 (Ex Jugoslavia) Adriatic Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: At 07:19 am on April 15, 1979, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the coastal region of Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia) causing severe and widespread damage for hundreds of kilometers. This is  the most devastating seismic event  that is known to have occurred in the territory of present-day Montenegro. The epicenter was located in the sea, near the coast, between the cities of Bar and Ulcinj.

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake generated a tsunami which caused widespread damage and flooding, especially in Kotor Bay (Montenegro) where the villages of Kemenari and Hergegnovi were completely submerged by the sea; in Bijela village the flooding caused a victim swept away by the waves. The tide gauge of Bar (the closest to the epicenter) recorded sea level anomalies for over 24 hours with a maximum height of 45 cm; the testimonies reported that the tsunami waves reached a height of three meters. The sea level variation caused by the tsunami was also measured by the tide gauge of Dubrovnik in Croatia, about 100 km away. Sea level anomalies were also observed in Italy. 

Stromboli 2002 (Italy) Tyrrhenian Sea

THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION: During the last months of 2002 Stromboli was affected by intense volcanic activity which compromised the stability of the Sciara del Fuoco flank. Two landslides occurred on December 30, 7-8 minutes apart. The first took place at 01:15 pm, and was mostly submarine, very close to the coast line. The second landslide, sub-aerial and of smaller volume, broke off at a height of about 500 meters above sea level. Bathymetric surveys revealed that the volume of material moved by the two landslides was over 20 million cubic meters. 

THE TSUNAMI: Both landslides generated tsunamis, but the short time gap meant that most people observed a single event (TRANSFER project, 2009). In Stromboli the tsunami flooded the coastal area causing damage to homes, here in fact the waves reached their maximum heights. Run-up values close to 10 meters were recorded in the northeastern sector of the island, along the beaches of Piscità and Ficogrande. Tsunami waves reached Panarea, 20 km SSW of Stromboli, flooding the beach in less than 5 minutes; the maximum run-up measured in Panarea was 2.6 meters. The tsunami was observed in the other Aeolian Islands with withdrawal and inundation of the sea at intervals of a few minutes. Even on the coasts of Northern Sicily, Tyrrhenian Calabria and up to the Salerno coasts of Campania the tsunami was clearly observed: in the port of Scario (SA) the sea level initially decreased and then increased by about 2 meters.

Boumerdès 2003 (Algeria) Southwestern Mediterranean Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: On May 21, 2003, an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred off the Algerian coast in western Mediterranean. The earthquake caused widespread and serious damage in the cities of Zemmouri and Boumerdès. The fault displacement (or mass movements related to it) also sheared telecommunication cables lying on the seabed, interrupting communications between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake was caused by a fault movement that raised the seafloor by about 40/80 cm. The submarine fault movement consequently raised the overlying water column causing a tsunami. Some eyewitnesses, from the Algerian coast, reported a rapid withdrawal of the sea of about 100 meters between the cities of Algiers and Boumerdès. Some fishermen, from Zemmouri-El-Bahari port, reported that the sea level had dropped by at least 1 meter, leaving boats dry in the harbor. The tsunami also caused severe damage along the Balearic Islands coasts, particularly on the southeastern coasts of Mallorca and Menorca (Spain), at about 250 km from the epicenter of the earthquake. Tide gauges in ports on the Spanish islands recorded sea level variations of more than two meters “peak-to-trough” (the difference between the negative peak value and the positive peak value). Hundreds of boats moored in the harbors were damaged by the tsunami waves and, in Puerto de Mahon, the waves damaged and sank 10 boats. The tsunami was also observed along the coast of Spain, in Alicante, Castellon and Murcia. Sea level variations caused by tsunami were also recorded by tide gauges in the ports of Nice in France and in Italy, especially in Genoa.

Kos-Bodrum 2017 (Greece-Turkey) Aegean Sea

THE EARTHQUAKE: On July 21, 2017, at 01:31 local time (22:31 UTC), an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 occurred in the Aegean Sea between Kos Island (Greece) and the city of Bodrum (Turkey). The earthquake caused extensive damage on the Greek island, where two people lost their lives, and widespread damage in Turkey. 

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake, which occurred at a depth of about 10 km, generated a tsunami which mainly affected the two tourist destinations. Kos marina port (Greece) was affected by sea level variations of more than 1.5 meters. The sea level rise broke the moorings of some boats and lifted some vehicles parked on the waterfront.  The Bodrum (Turkey) tide gauge registered run-up levels of 60/70 cm  and the maximum height reached by the waves was observed in Karaada island where run-up traces up to 2 meters elevation were observed. In the tourist port of the seaside resort the sea has flooded the pier, penetrating inland for about 100 meters and causing damage to some boats moored. The port's restaurants and bars were inundated by more than 50 cm of water. 

Samos, Aegean Sea 2020 (Greece-Turkey)

THE EARTHQUAKE: A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred on October 30, 2020 with epicenter in the eastern Aegean Sea between Samos Island (Greece) and the coast of Turkey. The earthquake affected the Greek island of Samos and the province of Izmir (Izmir) causing severe damage in Seferihisar and Kusadasi. 

THE TSUNAMI: The earthquake generated a tsunami, observed mostly in the epicentral area.  The tsunami waves reached the northwestern coast of Samos  island within 10 minutes - and locally less than 5 minutes - after the main earthquake shock, and in less than 20 minutes the Turkish coast. The largest run-up was measured in Akarca in Turkey (about 4 meters) where the inundation reached over 90 meters inland.  Run-ups of more than 3 meters were also recorded in Sığacık province (Turkey) . The maximum ingression, of 410 m, was measured in Turkey in the Kaleici and Sığacık regions (Dogan et al. 2019). In addition to the casualties caused by the collapses, a person with a disability in Turkey died due to the tsunami.