December 11, 1853 Earthquake: Montenegro, Balkans NW
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Montenegro, Balkans NW on December 11, 1853 at 16:15 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
- December 11, 1853
- Time
- 16:15 UTC
- Place
- Montenegro, Balkans NW
- Magnitude
- 5.3
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 42.400° N, 18.600° E
- Country
- Montenegro
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.
1853 Dec 11, 42.40 N 18.60 E. A strong earthquake (VII), with its epicentre in Boka Kotorska, struck the coast of Southern Dalmatia and Montenegro on 11 December 1853. At around 4 h 15 min pm, a strong earthquake, followed shortly by a weaker one, frightened the citizens of Herceg Novi (Osservatore Dalmata 1853). The trembling was undulatory, both times preceded by an underground thunder. Many walls were damaged, and in nearby Baosic, a chimney and two warehouses split. (reference #9531)
1853 Dec 11, 16h 15m +/- 15m. Adriatic Sea, Dalmatia. A strong earthquake took place on the shore. A very strong wavy shock preceded by an underground roar occurred in Castelnuovo di Cattaro; many walls cracked. To store houses and a chimney were damaged in Baosic to the east of Castelnuovo. The seaside town of Bianca suffered. Damage was done to the ancient town of Combur. The earthquake intensity decreased toward the west of Castelnuovo. It was felt in the town of Canali located to the north. Slight tremors not shorter than 20 s in Dubrovnik were accompanied by a rumble. (reference #9531)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 6, 1667, Ragusa, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Balkans NW
- April 15, 1979, Montenegro, Balkans NW
- June 1, 1905, Shkoder, Albania
- November 26, 2019, Durres, Thumane, Tirana, Albania
- August 27, 1942, Peshkopia, Magellare, Albania
- November 30, 1967, Albania
- March 18, 1962, Albania
- January 7, 1962, Croatia, Balkans NW
- September 1, 1959, Albania
- November 3, 1968, Montenegro, Balkans NW
- April 22, 2022, Mostar, Stolac, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Balkans NW, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- May 13, 1984, Dubrovnik, Ljubinje, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- January 11, 1962, Croatia, Balkans NW
- January 13, 2024, Lushnje, Albania
- November 16, 1982, Bier, Berat, Lushnje, Albania, Balkans NW, North Macedonia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1853The 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 10626.