June 23, 1812 Tsunami: Marseilles, France
A tsunami probably caused by an earthquake began at Marseilles, France on June 23, 1812. 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
- June 23, 1812
- Source
- Marseilles, France
- Cause
- Questionable earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 43.300° N, 5.366° E
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #1879: "June 23. Marseilles. An earthquake was supposed. The sea retired, leaving the port dry, and rushed in again with extreme violence, inundating the quays. This recurred several times. The Annual Register gives the date June 24."
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marseille | France | 0 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1812The 1800sTsunamis of FranceThe 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 3538.