April 9, 1979 Earthquake: Bar Ulcinj, Montenegro
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Bar Ulcinj, Montenegro on April 9, 1979 at 02:10:20 UTC, 10 km below the surface. 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
- April 9, 1979
- Time
- 02:10:20 UTC
- Place
- Bar Ulcinj, Montenegro
- Magnitude
- 5.3 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 41.956° N, 19.023° E
- Country
- Montenegro
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.
Former Yugoslavia. Damage in the Bar-Ulcinj area, also felt in Albania.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 6, 1667, Ragusa, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Balkans NW
- October 12, 1851, Vlore (Valona),berat, Turkey, Albania
- July 26, 1963, Skopje, Macedonia, Balkans NW, North Macedonia
- October 17, 1851, Berat, Albania
- April 15, 1979, Montenegro, Balkans NW
- June 1, 1905, Shkoder, Albania
- January 2, 1866, Narta, Vlore, Kanina, Albania
- March 2, 1866, Smokthine, Velca, Vlore, Albania
- November 26, 2019, Durres, Thumane, Tirana, Albania
- August 27, 1942, Peshkopia, Magellare, Albania
- November 21, 1930, Vlore, Himare, Kuc, Albania
- December 2, 1930, Vlore, Tepelene, Albania
- November 30, 1967, Albania
- March 18, 1962, Albania
- September 1, 1959, Albania
More
Significant earthquakes of 1979The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1979Recent 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 7281.