October 29, 1989 Tsunami: Algiers, Cherchell, Tipaza, Algeria
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake began at Algiers, Cherchell, Tipaza, Algeria on October 29, 1989 at 19:09:12 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 30 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
- October 29, 1989, 19:09:12 UTC
- Source
- Algiers, Cherchell, Tipaza, Algeria
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 5.9
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 36.788° N, 2.448° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 30 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 245 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- $5 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.
Sea of Alboran, Algeria. Yelles Chaouche (Reference #2434) reports that interviews of inhabitants of the coastal villages were carried out, and some spoke of an "unusual agitation of the ships and a small rising of the sea. Some fishermen explained that the shock was strongly felt on board of their boats which were moved up by an anomalous seawave." The tide gauge in the Algiers harbor did not record this wave action.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tipaza (Tipasa) Coastal Region | Algeria | 23 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1989The 1900sTsunamis of AlgeriaThe 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 2919.