May 12, 1852 Tsunami: Asia Minor, Turkey
A tsunami of unknown cause began at Asia Minor, Turkey on May 12, 1852 at 02:00 UTC. 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
- May 12, 1852, 02:00 UTC
- Source
- Asia Minor, Turkey
- Cause
- Unknown
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
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.
1852, May 12 (or 5), 02h. Aegean Sea, Asia Minor, Izmir. A weak earthquake took place. The day before, the water flooded beaches forming vortices, while the air was still and the sea calm, and 5 minutes later receded leaving the sea - bottom dry for a distance of many yards. This phenomenon was repeated throughout the day increasing with the rise of the sun. A weak earthquake occurred at 02h the next morning. (reference #2130)
Reference #9116 states submarine landslides, which are known to have occurred in the bay in the past without earthquakes, are likely cause of surges and flooding.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Izmir (Smyrna) | Turkey | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1852The 1800sTsunamis of TurkeyThis 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 786.