January 19, 1833 Tsunami: Albania
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake began at Albania on January 19, 1833. Its effects were recorded at 2 places.
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
- January 19, 1833
- Source
- Albania
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.4
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 4
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 40.400° N, 19.900° E
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) 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.
1833, January 18 or 19. A destructive earthquake occurred in the Bay of Vlore (Valona), according to Mihailovic, its intensity amounted to I=X in Vlore, on the Island of Sazanit, in Kanina, Narta, to I=IX in Smokthina, Velcan, Karaburun, Tepelene, Pestani, Marikaj, Vasiari, Klisura, Turani, Dukaj, and so on. Tsunami of a considerable height flooded the Island of Sazariit and rolled onto Vlore. (reference #2130).
1833, January 19. Albania. 40o30' N, 19o24' E, earthquake magnitude 6.5, intensity VIII, tsunami intensity 3, reliability 3. Strong inundation. (reference #2427
1833, January 19. Albania. 40o24' N, 19o54' E, earthquake magnitude 6.4, tsunami reliability 2. Disastrous shock in South Albania (Valona), with serous destruction of many towns, also felt in Italy with light damage at Lecce and Monteparano (Karnik, ref #1099; Morelli, ref #10546). Saseno island inundated by a tsunami (Morelli, ref #10546). (reference #4139)
1833, January 19. Albania, Avlona, and Saseno. 40.4 N, 19.9 E, magnitude 6.4. (reference #330)
1833, January 19. Alanian coasts. Valona and Saseno Isle (intensity iv-). (references #15, #20, #28)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vlore (Vlora, Valona, Avlona) | Albania | 37 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Sazan Island (Sazanit, Saseno) | Albania | 53 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1833The 1800sTsunamis of AlbaniaThe 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 678.