October 3, 1481 Earthquake: Rhodes, Greece
An earthquake struck Rhodes, Greece on October 3, 1481. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- October 3, 1481
- Place
- Rhodes, Greece
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 36.000° N, 28.000° E
- Country
- Greece
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Oct 3, 1481. Another aftershock was felt in Rhodes, similar to that of 3 May. The shock caused panic in Rhodes but, apparently no damage. For the following few weeks, the shocks stopped, but then began again in December. The earthquake was associated with a swelling of the sea. (reference #9116)
May 3, 1481, night (also Mar 15, May 5,12, Oct 3, Dec 18), (36N, 28E or 38.2N, 28.5E, intensity IX or intensity X, magnitude 7.1, tsunami intensity 3). Hellenic Arc, Island of Rhodes. (ref #2130).
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 1491, Kos, Greece
- August 8, 1303, Crete, Greece
- October 12, 1856, Crete, Egypt, Greece
- April 22, 1863, Rhodes, Kos, Greece
- April 23, 1933, Dodecanese Islands, Greece
- July 9, 1956, Dodecanese, Greece
- July 16, 1955, Samos, Soke, Aydin, Greece, Turkey
- April 25, 1957, Fethiye (Lycia, Asia Minor), Turkey
- December 1, 1869, Gulf of Keramos, Mentese, Turkey
- July 20, 2017, Kos, Bodrum, Datca, Greece, Turkey
- June 2, 2025, Fethiye, Turkey
- May 3, 1481, Rhodes, Greece
- December 18, 1481, Rhodes, Greece
- 227 BC, Dodecanese Islands, Greece
- September 17, 1843, Chorio, Chalki (Dodecanese), Greece
More
Significant earthquakes of 1481The 1400sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 9808.