Historic Tsunami

1979 Montenegro Tsunami

15 April 1979 · Montenegro

On 15 April 1979 at 06:19 UTC, a tsunami formed near Montenegro. It was caused by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake. Waves reached up to 3.0 m high. It was observed at 6 locations in 3 countries or territories. It killed at least 131 people and injured 1,001.

Date

15 April 1979

Time

06:19 UTC

Cause

Earthquake

Earthquake Magnitude

6.9

Highest Wave

3.0 m

Observation Sites

6

Furthest Reach

222 km

Deaths

131

Injuries

1,001

Estimated Damage

2.7 billion US dollars

Source Country

Montenegro

Triggering Earthquake

1979 Montenegro Earthquake

Countries and Territories Reached

Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.

• 4Montenegro · 3.0 m1 deaths
• 1Croatia
• 1Italy

Highest Waves

• 3.0 mBoka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) · Montenegro · 54 km1 deaths
• 0.6 mBoka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) · Montenegro · 54 km
• 0.2 mBar · Montenegro · 9 km

Other Major Tsunamis in the Region

• 1995Gulf of Corinth: Aiyion, Greece · 1.0 m26 deaths
• 1955Volos Gulf, Greece8 deaths
• 1953Ionian Sea, Greece476 deaths
• 1932North Aegean, Greece · 2.0 m161 deaths
• 1906Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy · 0.4 m350 deaths
• 1905Tyrrhenian Calabria, Italy · 1.3 m557 deaths

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth