Historical tsunamis · Jan 11, 1693, 1:30 PM UTC
1693 Island of Sicily tsunami
Italy
The tsunami of Jan 11, 1693, 1:30 PM UTC originated near Island of Sicily (Italy).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 11, 1693, 1:30 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Maximum documented water height
- 12.0 m
- Deaths
- 54,000
- Damage
- extreme (over US$ 25 million)
- Observation records
- 10
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 12.0 m (Augusta, Italy).
10 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records 54,000 deaths.
Damage is estimated at extreme (over US$ 25 million).
Map of observation sites
10Each 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 | 9 | 12.0 m Augusta | — | — |
 Malta | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
10 / 10Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta · Sicily | 12.00 m | 21 km | Italy |
| Siracusa · Sicily | 2.50 m | 25 km | Italy |
| Agnone · Sicily | — | 23 km | Italy |
| Catania, Sicily · Sicily | — | 41 km | Italy |
| Lipari, Lipari Island | — | 148 km | Italy |
| Mascali · Sicily | — | 71 km | Italy |
| Mazzarelli (Marina Di Ragusa) · Sicily | — | 55 km | Italy |
| Messina, Sicily · Sicily | — | 126 km | Italy |
| Sannat, Gozo Island | — | 141 km | Malta |
| Taormina · Sicily | — | 83 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.