October 3, 1887 Tsunami: Peloponnesus, Greece
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake began at Peloponnesus, Greece on October 3, 1887 at 22:53 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 3 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
- October 3, 1887, 22:53 UTC
- Source
- Peloponnesus, Greece
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.2
- Runups recorded
- 3
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 38.300° N, 22.800° E
The toll
- Deaths
- Some (about 51 to 100) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- 700 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000) 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.
1887, October 4 (3). Ionian Sea, Gulf of Corinth. A destructive underground shock occurred on the southern shore of the gulf. A tsunami wave appeared which advanced deep into the dry land between Xilocastro and Sykia for 20m. (reference #2130)
A small sea wave was reported from between Xilokastro and Sikia, as well as from Galaxidi, where the sea advanced 20 m inland (reference #9116)
Reference #11164 (v.2) lists as probable tsunami.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xylokastron | Greece | 29 | 20 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Sykia | Greece | 29 | 20 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Galaxidi | Greece | 38 | 20 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1887The 1800sTsunamis of GreeceThe 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 1172.