World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 1939
Historic Tsunami
1939 Turkey Tsunami
26 December 1939 · South Black Sea · Turkey
On 26 December 1939 at 23:57 UTC, a tsunami formed near South Black Sea, Turkey. It was caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. Waves reached up to 0.5 m high. It was observed at 12 locations in 4 countries or territories, up to 723 km from its source. It killed at least 32,700 people and injured 100,000. It is the 8th deadliest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 26 December 1939
- Time
- 23:57 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 7.8
- Highest Wave
- 0.5 m
- Observation Sites
- 12
- Furthest Reach
- 723 km
- Deaths
- 32,700
- Injuries
- 100,000
- Homes Destroyed
- 120,000
- Estimated Damage
- 20 million US dollars
- Source Country
- Turkey
- Triggering Earthquake
- Erzincan Earthquake of 1939
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
Highest Waves
- 0.5 mFatsa · Turkey · 216 km
- 0.3 mNovorossiysk · Russia · 555 km
- 0.3 mSevastopol · Ukraine · 723 km
- 0.2 mTuapse · Russia · 468 km
- 0.1 mFeodosiya · Ukraine · 666 km
- 0.1 mKerch · Ukraine · 657 km
- 0.1 mYalta · Ukraine · 678 km
- 0.0 mBatumi · Georgia · 259 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2023Gulf of Iskenderun, Turkey · 0.3 m56,697 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth