June 24, 1870 Tsunami: Alexandria, Egypt
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Alexandria, Egypt on June 24, 1870 at 17:00 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
- June 24, 1870, 17:00 UTC
- Source
- Alexandria, Egypt
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 36.000° N, 26.000° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 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.
1870, June 24, 18h +1 hr. 32.2 N 29.6 E, Hellenic Arc [?]. A powerful earthquake occurred in the vast territory in the eastern coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea. The earthquake was strong in Athens where it was noted at 17h54m, in Izmir, it was felt on the Islands of Crete Cyprus, Thira (Santorini), Malta.
The water in the new port of Alexandria splashed out onto the quay. This fact supports reports that the earthquake was accompanied by tsunami waves. (reference #2130)
1870, June 24, 17h. 36 N, 26 E. Event reliability 3 (probable). (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | Egypt | 645 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1870The 1800sTsunamis of EgyptThe 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 1013.