Historical tsunamis · January 1169
1169 Eastern Sicily tsunami
Italy
The tsunami of January 1169 originated near Eastern Sicily (Italy).
Key facts
- Date
- January 1169
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Maximum documented water height
- —
- Deaths
- 16,000
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 16,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
1Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messina, Sicily · Sicily | — | 108 km | Italy |
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.