Distinction between seismic tsunamis and meteotsunamis recorded in Greece from antiquity up to the present

This paper examines the distinction between seismic tsunamis (earthquake-generated) and meteotsunamis (atmospherically triggered tsunami-like sea disturbances) in Greece from antiquity to the present. The author selected ten cases—three from historical times and seven from the instrumental period after 1900—using descriptive documents, historical sources, tide-gauge records, and earthquake catalogues. Methodologies included assessment of the reliability of documentary sources, space-time correlation with earthquake activity, analysis of excitation mechanisms (such as seismic Rayleigh waves), comparison of amplitude attenuation from tide-gauge recordings, and evaluation of atmospheric conditions based on meteorological data. The study covers coastal regions throughout Greece, including the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

The key findings indicate that nine out of ten tsunami-like sea disturbances in Greece likely had meteorological causes, with only one (1979 South Crete) confidently attributed to seismic origin as a local seiche. Meteorological tsunamis were often not damaging, except for the 479 BCE ebb-flood, which drowned several people. The study concludes these events should be considered in hazard assessments and highlights the importance of not assuming causal relationships based solely on space-time coincidence with earthquakes.