March 2, 1866 Tsunami: Albanian Coasts
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake began at Albanian Coasts on March 2, 1866 at 15:30 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 60 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.
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
- March 2, 1866, 15:30 UTC
- Source
- Albanian Coasts
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.3
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 40.400° N, 19.500° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 60 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- 12 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.
1866, March 3, 18h. A tidal wave, originated in the Bay of Vlore, flooded Kanina (Kanino). (reference #2130)
1866, March 2, 15:30 UTC, Albania, Sea-wave in Avlona. (reference #2427)
1866, March 2, 15:30 UTC source, tsunami arrival March. (reference #330)
1866, March 3, 40.4N 19.5E, tsunami intensity 3, tsunami reliability 1 (improbable). A tidal wave, originated in the Bay of Vlore, flooded Kanina (Kanino). (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vlore (Vlora, Valona, Avlona) | Albania | 8 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1866The 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 952.