World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 1999
Historic Tsunami
1999 Turkey Tsunami
17 August 1999 · Kocaeli · Turkey
On 17 August 1999 at 00:01 UTC, a tsunami formed near Kocaeli, Turkey. It was caused by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake. Waves reached up to 2.5 m high. It was observed at 26 locations. It killed at least 17,118 people and injured 50,000. It is the 12th deadliest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 17 August 1999
- Time
- 00:01 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 7.6
- Highest Wave
- 2.5 m
- Observation Sites
- 26
- Furthest Reach
- 48 km
- Deaths
- 17,118
- Injuries
- 50,000
- Estimated Damage
- 20.0 billion US dollars
- Source Country
- Turkey
- Triggering Earthquake
- 1999 İzmit Earthquake
Highest Waves
- 2.5 mSirinyali · Turkey · 25 km
- 2.5 mDegirmendere · Turkey · 20 km
- 2.5 mYarimca (Gubretas) Pier · Turkey · 20 km
- 2.5 mKiler Point · Turkey · 17 km
- 2.5 mDerince Port · Turkey · 12 km
- 2.5 mKirazliyali · Turkey · 23 km
- 2.5 mKorfez · Turkey · 20 km
- 2.0 mDilovasi · Turkey · 38 km
- 2.0 mCene Suyu · Turkey · 10 km
- 2.0 mUlasli · Turkey · 24 km5 deaths
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2020Aegean Sea, Turkey · 5.3 m118 deaths
- 1968Black Sea, Turkey · 3.0 m24 deaths
- 1968Lemnos Island, North Aegean Sea, Greece · 1.2 m22 deaths
- 1944Edremit Gulf, Aegean Sea, Turkey30 deaths
- 1912Marmara Sea, Turkey · 2.7 m2,800 deaths
- 1905North Aegean Sea, Greece · 3.0 m11 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth