February 4, 1169 Eruption of Etna
Etna in Italy erupted on February 4, 1169. The eruption killed 16,000 people, counting its secondary effects. It caused a tsunami.
Where it erupted
Etna, Italy, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- February 4, 1169
- Volcano
- Etna, stratovolcano
- Country
- Italy
- Killed by
- Seismic, or volcanic earthquake (tectonic earthquake deaths excluded); Waves or tsunami
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Earthquake
- Yes: the earthquake with it
- Location
- 37.748° N, 14.999° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 16,000 with the tsunamis, mudflows and other effects it caused
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more) with the tsunamis, mudflows and other effects it caused
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.
Eruption is uncertain (Ref #2432).
Violent earthquake about dawn buried many people in Catania during vigil of feast of St. Agatha, and tsunami swept away people who had gathered on shore at Messina. Earthquake (probably tectonic) occurred on April 11, 1169. Hyde reports 15,000 deaths during eruption in 1185 but gives no details and it is likely that this is a spurious account and/or confused with the 1169 event.(reference #9675)
Other significant eruptions of Etna
- December 26, 2018
- March 15, 2017
- October 28, 2002
- July 26, 2001
- May 14, 2001
- December 14, 1991
- April 17, 1987
- December 19, 1985
- October 16, 1984
- March 17, 1981
- September 12, 1979
- August 2, 1929
- November 8, 1928
- September 5, 1868
- November 25, 1843
- November 1, 1832
- January 9, 1693
- March 19, 1669
- March 11, 1669
- March 26, 1536
- July 15, 1329
- June 28, 1329
- February 11, 1169
- 141 BC
More
Every eruption in 1169The 1100sEtnaEarthquakes near EtnaThis day in weather history
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions 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. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 1.