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Tsunamis in Spain

A total of 7 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 365 have killed 2,215 people in Spain. Compared to other countries, Tsunamis therefore occur rather rarely.

The strongest tidal wave registered in Spain so far reached a height of 18.30 meters. On 11/01/1755, this tsunami killed a total of 2,214 people.

Other natural hazards in Spain:
› Volcanos
› Earthquakes
› Hurricanes
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Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.

The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 1,700 years.

The largest tsunamis in Spain since 365 AD.

DateCauseMax. tidal waveFatalitiesTotal damage
07/16/2018Meteorological event in Spain (Balearic Islands)0 m1
06/15/2006Meteorological event in Spain (Ciutadella, Menorca Island)6 m0
05/21/2003Earthquakes in Algeria (N. Algeria) with a magnitude of 6.8.3 m0
08/21/1856Earthquakes in Algeria (Sea Of Alboran)0 m0
11/01/1755Earthquakes in Portugal (Lisbon) with a magnitude of 8.5. The tsunami caused damages in 12 further countries. A total of 50,000 humans died.18.30 m2,214
05/05/1706Volcano in Spain (Tenerife, Canary Islands)0 m0
07/21/365Earthquakes in Greece (Crete) with a magnitude of 8.0. The tsunami also reached Egypt, Turkey, Greece. A total of 5,000 humans died.0 m0


These evaluations are based on data from the Global Historical Tsunami Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, and World Data Service (NGDC/WDS), doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Individual data have been summarized or translated.
Natural disasters worldwideMost severe natural disasters worldwideThe most severe earthquakes, volcanos and tsunamis by region and severity
Spain: VolcanosActive volcanoes and eruptions in SpainVolcanic eruptions and their damages by 3 volcanos of Spain
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