Historical tsunamis · Oct 16, 1979, 1:57 PM UTC
1979 French Riviera (Ligurian Sea) tsunami
France
The tsunami of Oct 16, 1979, 1:57 PM UTC originated near French Riviera (Ligurian Sea) (France).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 16, 1979, 1:57 PM UTC
- Cause
- Landslide
- Maximum documented water height
- 10.0 m
- Deaths
- 9
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Landslide.
The highest documented water height was 10.0 m.
6 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 9 deaths.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 6 | 3.00 m La Salis | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Salis | 3.00 m | 17 km | France |
| Antibes | 1.00 m | 17 km | France |
| Menton | 1.00 m | 22 km | France |
| Saint Laurent du Var | 1.00 m | 5 km | France |
| Nice | 0.10 m | 3 km | France |
| Villefranche | 0.10 m | 5 km | France |
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.