Historical tsunamis · Oct 9, 1963, 9:39 PM UTC
1963 Vajont Dam, Vajont River tsunami
Italy
The tsunami of Oct 9, 1963, 9:39 PM UTC originated near Vajont Dam, Vajont River (Italy).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 9, 1963, 9:39 PM UTC
- Cause
- Landslide
- Maximum documented water height
- 235.0 m
- Deaths
- 2,000
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Landslide.
The highest documented water height was 235.0 m (Casso, Italy).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 2,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
3Each 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 | 3 | 235.0 m Casso | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casso | 235.00 m | 1 km | Italy |
| Longarone | 70.00 m | 0 km | Italy |
| Pirago | 70.00 m | 3 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.