August 10, 1838 Earthquake: Croatia, Balkans NW
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Croatia, Balkans NW on August 10, 1838 at 20:30 UTC. 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
- August 10, 1838
- Time
- 20:30 UTC
- Place
- Croatia, Balkans NW
- Magnitude
- 5.3
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 45.200° N, 14.500° E
- Country
- Croatia
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
"A strong earthquake took place." Houses were damaged in Kostrena and Kraljevica. "The earthquake was strong in Rijekaand on the Island of Krk" (reference #2130)
On 10 August 1838, a strong earthquake (VII MCS) occurred at Rijeka and in nearby Bakar and Kraljevica. The trembling was also felt at Trieste. Local newspapers, which had started to appear only shortly before, made reports on the earthquake (Agramer Zeitung 1838; Ilirske narodne novine 1838; Gazzetta di Zara 1838) [...] (reference #9531)
1838 Aug 10 at 2h 30m A.M. Fiume and Bukkari on the Adriatic. Several shocks. Between 8 & 9 P.M. All these shocks were felt in Trieste. A shock greater severity than any of the preceding. Vessels in harbour were dashed against each other. Bells sounded of themselves at the Fiume. At Bukkari the great tower of the church fell. A terrible noise preceded the shock. (reference #497)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 25, 1348, Celovac, Veneto, Slovenia, Villach, Italy, Austria
- August 8, 1511, Cividale del Fruili, Italy
- May 6, 1976, NW, Slovenia, NE, Balkans NW, Italy
- June 29, 1873, Bellunese, Italy
- 778, Treviso, Italy
- December 4, 1690, Carinthie, Austria
- October 30, 1930, Senigallia, Italy
- March 26, 1511, Idrija,skofja Loka, Slovenia, Balkans NW
- September 15, 1976, Northeastern, Italy
- December 23, 1690, Ancona, Italy
- December 29, 2020, Petrinja, Croatia, Balkans NW
- April 14, 1895, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Balkans NW
- September 11, 1976, Northeastern, Italy
- August 16, 1916, Rimini, Italy
- June 21, 1972, Ancona, Italy
More
Significant earthquakes of 1838The 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 10618.