March 18, 2021 Tsunami: N. Algeria
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake began at N. Algeria on March 18, 2021 at 00:04:06 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.05 meters. Its effects were recorded at 5 places in at least 3 countries.
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
- March 18, 2021, 00:04:06 UTC
- Source
- N. Algeria
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6, 8 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.05 m (0.2 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 5
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 36.915° N, 5.199° E
The toll
- Injuries
- 17 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50) 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.
For tonight's earthquake, a small tsunami (less than 5 cm) was observed at some tide gauge in the Balearics (Mahon), Sardinia (Marina di Teulada) and Sicily (Porto Empedocle). (reference #12907)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahon, Menorca Island | Spain | 340 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Palma DE Mallorca, Majorca Island | Spain | 369 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Marina Di Teulada | Italy | 382 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Toulon | France | 691 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Porto Empedocle | Italy | 741 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2021The 2000sTsunamis 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 5776.