1676 Tsunami: Azores, Portugal
A tsunami of unknown cause began at Azores, Portugal in 1676. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
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
The tsunami
- Date
- 1676
- Source
- Azores, Portugal
- Cause
- Unknown
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 38.733° N, 27.066° W
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.
1676. Azores. A tsunami destroyed a convent of nuns at Praia da T'itoria (38"44'N., 27"04' W.), Ilha Terceira. The site of this convent is now below the waters of the Baia Praia (38'43'N., 27'03'W.), as a result of the progressive settling of this part of the coast. (reference #41)
1676. Tsunami seismic origin. 38.4 N 27.1 W. In AD 1676, a tsunamigenic event is described by Drummond (1850-64) as having produced "considerable damage" along the entire southern coast of Terceira Island and especially in the village of Praia, where the sea demolished the defensive walls and part of one convent (Convento da Luz). (reference #5046)
1676. Very doubtful tsunami,Meteorological cause (?). [...] there is no known information about an earthquake that might have been felt on Terceira Island and been responsible for the generation of a tsunami during 1676. The above-mentioned reports, in particular the ones regarding the convent, confirm that this island is often struck by storms. Therefore, the 1676 flood is probably associated with meteorological conditions and not any other tsunamigenic source. (reference #13057)
1676. Azores, Improbable tsunami, Unknown cause. (reference #11164)
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 | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praia da Vitoria, Terceira, Azores | Azores | 0 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1676The 1600sTsunamis of PortugalAlerts 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 319.