Historical tsunamis · Apr 15, 1979, 6:19 AM UTC
1979 Montenegro tsunami
Montenegro
The tsunami of Apr 15, 1979, 6:19 AM UTC originated near Montenegro (Montenegro).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 15, 1979, 6:19 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 131
- Injuries
- 1,001
- Houses destroyed
- very many (over 1,000)
- Damage
- US$ 2,700 million
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor), Montenegro).
6 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 131 deaths.
Houses destroyed: very many (over 1,000).
Damage is estimated at US$ 2,700 million.
Map of observation sites
6Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montenegro | 4 | 3.00 m Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) | 1 | — |
 Italy | 1 | — | — | — |
 Croatia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.
| Location / station | Observed height | Distance from source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) | 3.00 m | 54 km | Montenegro |
| Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) | 0.60 m | 54 km | Montenegro |
| Bar | 0.23 m | 9 km | Montenegro |
| Bar | — | 9 km | Montenegro |
| Bari | — | 222 km | Italy |
| Dubrovnik (Ragusa) | — | 110 km | Croatia |
More tsunamis
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Historical Tsunami Database. Confirmed events only. Deaths and damage are database estimates; older records are incomplete. Water heights come from different types of observation.