April 6, 1667 Tsunami: Dalmatian Coasts, Croatia

Name: April 6, 1667 Tsunami: Dalmatian Coasts, Croatia
Start: 1667-04-06
Location: Dalmatian Coasts, Croatia

April 6, 1667 · 5,000 deaths · Questionable tsunami

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake began at Dalmatian Coasts, Croatia on April 6, 1667 at 07:10 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 3 places in at least 2 countries. It killed 5,000 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.

Where the waves reached

The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.

Under 1 m
1 to 3 m
3 to 10 m
10 to 30 m
30 m and more
Height not recorded

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date: April 6, 1667, 07:10 UTC
Source: Dalmatian Coasts, Croatia
Cause: Earthquake
Earthquake: Magnitude 7.2
Runups recorded: 3
Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura): 4
Waters: Ocean
How certain: Questionable tsunami
Source location: 42.600° N, 18.100° E

The toll

Deaths: 5,000 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage: Limited (under about $1 million); Extreme (about $25 million or more) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Houses destroyed: Very many (over 1,000) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it

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.

1667, April 6, 07h [local time] (Possibly March or April 22, 1661). Adriatic Sea, Dalmatia. Catastrophic earthquake [magnitude 7.7, intensity X] took place in Dubrovnik and its vicinity and was accompanied by tsunami waves. The whole city was destroyed. 2,270 of the 6,000 inhabitants were killed. The earthquake in Venice was extremely strong. It was felt along the the shore of the Adriatic Sea and of the Aegean Sea up to Istanbul and Izmir. Underground shocks within the focal zone continued 6 years - up to 1672. The earthquake caused tsunami. 4 waves were noted in Dubrovnik and on the small Island of Mezzo which suffered badly. The sounds of strong detonations were heard when the waves approached from the side of the Adriatic Sea. The water in the canals of Venice first increased then decreased. Tsunami intensity 3-4. (reference #2130).

1667, April 6, 07:10 UTC. Dalmatian coasts, 42o36'N, 18o06'E, earthquake intensity 10, magnitude 7.2, tsunami intensity 3, reliability 4. A strong earthquake, occurred between 07:10 and 08:10 a.m., completely destroying Ragusa (Dubrovnick) and some other localities, killing about 1/3 of the population. Damage and destruction in the whole region. Felt in a very broad area, including the western coast of the Balcan region, Italian coasts (Venice and Tyrrhenian coasts). Felt also in Costantinople and Smyrne. A tsunami followed the shock (Morelli, r575).

Sea withdrawal at Dubrovnick (once called Ragusa) and 4 waves noted (Soloviev, r582). Vessels in the harbour severely damaged (Andriasci, r398, Morelli, r575).

In the island of Mozzo, which suffered badly, 4 waves observed (Soloviev, r582). In Venice the waters in the canals perturbed (Degni, r399; Maraldi, r111). Studied by Guidoboni (r400). Further references: Mallet (r33), Capocci (r34), Baratta (r1), Heck (r78), Carrozzo (r41), Caputo (r5), Ambraseys (r391), Antonopoulos (r392), Shebalin (r170), De Giorgi (r581).

(above from reference #4139)

1667, April 6. Dalmatian coasts. Dubrovnik (Ragusa), intensity 3. (references #15, #20, #27)

Every runup

Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.

Where	Country	Km from source	Measured by
Dubrovnik	Croatia	8	Eyewitness observation of water height
Mezzo Island	Croatia	16	Eyewitness observation of water height
Venice	Italy	552	Eyewitness observation of water height

Every tsunami in 1667 The 1600s Tsunamis of Croatia The earthquake This day in weather history Alerts in force

Sources

Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 297.