September 10, 1953 Tsunami: Levantian Sea, Cyprus
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake began at Levantian Sea, Cyprus on September 10, 1953 at 04:06:04 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 2 places. It killed 40 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
- September 10, 1953, 04:06:04 UTC
- Source
- Levantian Sea, Cyprus
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.3, 20 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 34.741° N, 32.335° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 40 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 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
- 500 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.
Levantian Sea, Island of Cyprus. An earthquake occurred. A series of tidal waves was noted on the Island of Cyprus. There was no damage. (reference #2130)
1953 09 10, Paphos, Cyprus: Strong, destructive double shock (M=6.0, M=6.1) in SW Cyprus. In Paphos a small tsunami possibly triggered by coastal slumps. (reference #10357)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paphos | Cyprus | 8 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Island of Cyprus | Cyprus | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1953The 1900sTsunamis of CyprusThe 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 3396.