May 1813 Eruption of Vesuvius
Vesuvius in Italy erupted in May 1813 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2. It caused a tsunami.
Where it erupted
Vesuvius, Italy, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- May 1813
- Volcano
- Vesuvius, complex volcano
- Country
- Italy
- Volcanic Explosivity Index
- 2, moderate (eruption column 1 to 5 km)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Location
- 40.821° N, 14.426° E
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this eruption.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Mediterranean Tsunami Catalogue
1813, May 17.Campania. Cause: VA. Rel.: 1. Int. : 2
Date, volcanic explosivity index (VEI) and cone coordinates from Simkin et al. (1981). A period of explosions at the Vesuvius from May to December 28, 1813. The sea withdrew about 15-20 paces at Torre del Greco, Portici and Resina in an interval of a few minutes (Capocci, 1861a; Mercalli, 1883).
Further references: Baratta (1901, 1931); Caputo and Faita (1984); Antonopoulos (1990); Tinti and Maramai (1996); Tinti et al. (2004); Soloviev et al. (2000).
(above from reference #4139)
Other significant eruptions of Vesuvius
More
Every eruption in 1813The 1800sVesuviusEarthquakes near Vesuvius
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 1405.