November 24, 1772 Tsunami: Aegean Sea, Turkey
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Aegean Sea, Turkey on November 24, 1772 at 07:45 UTC.
Where the waves reached
The source of the tsunami. No runup with a place is recorded for it.
- 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
- November 24, 1772, 07:45 UTC
- Source
- Aegean Sea, Turkey
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 0
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 38.800° N, 26.700° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) 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.
24 November 1772. Damaging sea-wave at Foca. (reference #2427)
24 November 1772. The gates of Foca Castle, which were on the edge of the sea, were completely destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. Listed as probable tsunami. (reference #9275)
AD 1772 Nov 24 Foca. The strongest shock of the series felt in Chios occurred at 7.45. Apparently it caused no damage. It was stronger in Lesvos, where a few houses collapsed (ANF AE Bi/1013 Scio). A document dated 30 Rabi I a.H. 1191 (8 May 1777) says that 'of the ten gates of the cannon foundry of the castle of Forca-i Cedid which are on the edge of the sea, five were completely destroyed by an earthquake and sea wave and the mosque within the castle also needs repair' (BBA MMD 3162, 618). It is likely that this damage was due to the same earthquake. (reference #9116)
24 November 1772. Listed as improbable tsunami. (reference #11164, v.2)
More
Every tsunami in 1772The 1700sTsunamis of TurkeyThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts 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 3494.