Historical tsunamis · Oct 25, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC
2018 Ionian Sea tsunami
Greece
The tsunami of Oct 25, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC originated near Ionian Sea (Greece).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 25, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.8
- Depth
- 14 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.50 m
- Injuries
- 3
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 12
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake at a depth of 14 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.50 m (Porto Vromi, Zakynthos (Zakinthos), Greece).
12 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Otranto (Italy) after 0:41 h.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
12Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Tsunami arrival times
Documented arrival times from the NOAA/NCEI database, showing the earliest recorded location per country. Coverage is incomplete: a country without an entry was not necessarily spared.
- 0:00 hEarthquake (origin) · Oct 25, 2018, 10:54 PM UTC
- 0:26 hGreece · Kyparissia (Peloponnese) · 0.09 m
- 0:41 hItaly · Otranto · 0.04 m
6 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 3 | 1.50 m Porto Vromi, Zakynthos (Zakinthos) | — | 0:26 h |
 Italy | 8 | 0.50 m Salento, Lecce | — | 0:41 h |
 Malta | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
12 / 12Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porto Vromi, Zakynthos (Zakinthos) | 1.50 m | 34 km | Greece |
| Salento, Lecce | 0.50 m | 328 km | Italy |
| Katakolo | 0.11 m | 69 km | Greece |
| Crotone · Calabria | 0.09 m | 345 km | Italy |
| Kyparissia (Peloponnese) | 0.09 m | 102 km | Greece |
| Le Castella · Calabria | 0.06 m | 345 km | Italy |
| Reggio Calabria · Calabria | 0.05 m | 437 km | Italy |
| Messina, Sicily · Sicily | 0.04 m | 446 km | Italy |
| Otranto | 0.04 m | 342 km | Italy |
| Catania, Sicily · Sicily | 0.02 m | 482 km | Italy |
| Lampedusa | 0.02 m | 746 km | Italy |
| Portomaso | — | 570 km | Malta |
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.