June 12, 2017 Tsunami: Lesbos, Greece
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake began at Lesbos, Greece on June 12, 2017 at 12:28:39 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 2 places in at least 2 countries. It killed 1 person, 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
- June 12, 2017, 12:28:39 UTC
- Source
- Lesbos, Greece
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.3, 12 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.2 m (0.7 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 38.930° N, 26.365° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 1 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 15 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
- 10 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- 250 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.
As regards the induced earthquake environmental effects, slope movements and ground cracks were generated in many sites of the affected area as well as seismic waves (tsunami) were reported in Plomari port. (reference #11840)
The earthquake that stroke with 6.3 R on Monday in the sea area between the islands of Lesvsos and Chios in the East Aegean Sea "caused a tsunami," the chairman of Greek Earthquake Planning and Protections Organization (EPPO) said on Wednesday. Speaking to website newsit.gr, Efthymios Lekkas confirmed that a tsunami occurred, even though of small wave amplitude, of a wave height of 30 or 40 centimeters. "We combined eye-witness testimonies and footage shot by amateurs" Lekkas said adding "We observed blur of the sea water, vortex, drawback and return of waters and characteristic movememnts of the boats" Lekkas said. (reference #11839)
The 12 June 2017, M = 6.3 Lesvos earthquake triggered a small-scale tsunami. It was generated offshore southeastern Lesvos and was reported by residents in Plomari port. It is characterized as a small tsunami of peak-to-peak amplitude of 30 cm. The same wave of less amplitude was observed in Foca (Turkey). Preliminary analysis of various tide-gauge stations in the Aegean Sea area showed disturbances with amplitudes of a few centimeters attributed to the aforementioned tsunami. It is either to sea bed displacement or more probably to submarine landslides generated close to the epicentral area. (reference #13873)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plomari Harbor | Greece | 5 | 0.2 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Focal, Izmir | Turkey | 44 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 2017The 2000sTsunamis 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 5652.