On December 28, 1908, a devastating tsunami struck the Messina Strait in the Ionian Sea, leaving a profound impact recorded in historical hazard databases. According to the NOAA/NCEI Global Historical Tsunami Database, the event was directly associated with an earthquake and resulted in significant loss of life and property damage.
Event Timeline and Location
The event occurred on December 28, 1908, with the primary activity logged precisely at 04 hours, 20 minutes, and 27 seconds. The geographic coordinates for the epicenter are latitude 38.17 and longitude 15.58 in the Messina Strait, located within the Ionian Sea in Italy.
Measurements and Severity
Scientific instruments and historical observations documented the physical severity of the tsunami and its triggering earthquake:
- Earthquake Magnitude: 7.0
- Maximum Water Height: 13.0 meters (recorded as a maximum water height rather than a uniform height across all affected coastlines)
- Validity Score: 4 (indicating definite tsunami occurrence in the historical record)
Casualties and Economic Impact
The combination of the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami generated catastrophic societal consequences. Official historical figures document approximately 80,000 deaths. Additionally, the event caused an estimated 116.0 million USD in financial and structural damage.
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.