Historical tsunamis · Feb 6, 2023, 1:17 AM UTC
2023 Gulf of Iskenderun tsunami
Turkey
The tsunami of Feb 6, 2023, 1:17 AM UTC originated near Gulf of Iskenderun (Turkey).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 6, 2023, 1:17 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 17 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.30 m
- Deaths
- 56,697
- Injuries
- 119,200
- Houses destroyed
- 542,461
- Damage
- US$ 42,900 million
- Observation records
- 17
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 17 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.30 m (Paralimni, Cyprus).
17 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Paralimni (Cyprus) after 0:20 h.
The database records 56,697 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 542,461.
Damage is estimated at US$ 42,900 million.
Map of observation sites
17Each 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) · Feb 6, 2023, 1:17 AM UTC
- 0:20 hCyprus · Paralimni · 0.30 m
- 0:25 hTurkey · Iskenderun · 0.14 m
6 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cyprus | 6 | 0.30 m Paralimni | — | 0:20 h |
| Turkey | 10 | 0.15 m Arsuz (Hatay) | — | 0:25 h |
 Egypt | 1 | 0.14 m Ras El-Bar | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 17Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralimni | 0.30 m | 359 km | Cyprus |
| Gazimagusa | 0.17 m | 359 km | Cyprus |
| Arsuz (Hatay) | 0.15 m | 133 km | Turkey |
| Iskenderun | 0.14 m | 100 km | Turkey |
| Ras El-Bar Classified as doubtful | 0.14 m | 790 km | Egypt |
| Bozyazi | 0.13 m | 385 km | Turkey |
| Erdemli | 0.13 m | 257 km | Turkey |
| Girne (Kerinya) | 0.06 m | 390 km | Cyprus |
| Tasucu | 0.06 m | 303 km | Turkey |
| Marmaris | 0.05 m | 771 km | Turkey |
| Antalya | 0.02 m | 573 km | Turkey |
| Antakya | — | 133 km | Turkey |
| Antalya | — | 573 km | Turkey |
| Ayia Triada Beach | — | 359 km | Cyprus |
| Gaziantep | — | 31 km | Turkey |
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.