November 18, 1992 Tsunami: Corinth Gulf, Greece
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake began at Corinth Gulf, Greece on November 18, 1992 at 21:10:43 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 2 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
- November 18, 1992, 21:10:43 UTC
- Source
- Corinth Gulf, Greece
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 5.9, 12 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 38.364° N, 22.596° 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.
On 18 November 1992, at 21:10:43 UTC (23:10:43 local time), a strong earthquake of Mw5.89 occurred near Galaxidi town, central Corinth Gulf and was associated with a small tsunami. According to a press report, a “tidal wave” was observed in the city of Corinth. Around midnight local time, a low-amplitude (~0.02 m) oscillation of the sea level was recorded at the Posidonia analog tide station, which is situated at an epicentral distance of ~50 km. The sea disturbance lasted for about 2.5 h. This is the first time that this small event has been documented. (reference #13999)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corinth | Greece | 55 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Poseidonia | Greece | 56 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1992The 1900sTsunamis 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 6017.