January 19, 1833 Earthquake: Vlore, Sazan, Kanina, Narta, Albania
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Vlore, Sazan, Kanina, Narta, Albania on January 19, 1833. 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
- January 19, 1833
- Place
- Vlore, Sazan, Kanina, Narta, Albania
- Magnitude
- 6.4 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 40.400° N, 19.900° E
- Country
- Albania
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1833, January 18 or 19. A destructive earthquake occurred in the Bay of Vlore (Valona), according to Mihailovic, its intensity amounted to I=X in Vlore, on the Island of Sazanit, in Kanina, Narta, to I=IX in Smokthina, Velcan, Karaburun, Tepelene, Pestani, Marikaj, Vasiari, Klisura, Turani, Dukaj, and so on. It was felt in Italy: in Lecce, Monteparano, Bari, Potenza, Foggia. Tsunami of a
considerable height flooded the Island of Sazariit and rolled onto Vlore. (reference #2130).
1833, January 19. Intensity IX 1/2 or X. Earthquake with serious destruction at Vlera (Valona) and at Kanina. The Island of Sazani (Saseno) was flooded. (reference #1093)
1833, January 19. Italy, Monteparano (Lecce). Intensity I which corresponds to an earthquake of intensity sufficient to crack walls, break chimneys, to shatter old buildings or to produce cracks in the ground. (reference #1055)
1833, January 19. 40.5 N, 19.5 E, intensity IX-X. Violent shocks at Ljubljana. Disastrous shock in the bay of Vlorie (Valona), high tsunami inundated the island of Sazan (Saseno), serious destruction at Vlore and Kanino,
according to (MD) I= X Vlore, Sazan, Kanino, Narta, I=IX: Smokthine, Velcan, Karbunare, Tepelene, Peshtani, Maricaj, Vasiari, Klisyra, Turani, Dukaj, etc.; felt also in Italy at Lecce, Monteparano; Bari; Potenza, Foggia. (reference #1099)
1833, January 19. 40.5 N, 19.4 E, magnitude 6.5, Albania (VIII, Avlona). The earthquake caused large destructions in the gulf of Avlona. A large onset of the sea occurred in the island Sazan (Sasseno) and this island was flooded entirely. The shock was felt in Italy too (Lecce, Monteparano, Bari, Potenza, Foggia). (reference #4408)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 12, 1851, Vlore (Valona),berat, Turkey, Albania
- October 17, 1851, Berat, Albania
- November 26, 1920, Tepelene, Dragoti, Peshtani, Maricaj, Albania
- April 15, 1979, Montenegro, Balkans NW
- February 5, 1786, Corfu (Kerkira), Greece
- June 1, 1905, Shkoder, Albania
- January 28, 1931, Korce, Albania
- May 13, 1895, Margarition-Filiates (Thesprotia), Greece
- January 2, 1866, Narta, Vlore, Kanina, Albania
- March 2, 1866, Smokthine, Velca, Vlore, Albania
- January 19, 1825, Leukas, Ionian Islands, Greece
- November 26, 2019, Durres, Thumane, Tirana, Albania
- August 27, 1942, Peshkopia, Magellare, Albania
- November 11, 1704, Greece
- November 21, 1930, Vlore, Himare, Kuc, Albania
More
Significant earthquakes of 1833The 1800sRecent 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 1754.