On 28 December 1908 a strong earthquake of magnitude of 7.1 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI , hits Sicily and Calabria . About ten minutes after the earthquake , the sea on both sides of the Strait suddenly withdrew a 12-meter ( 39-foot ) tsunami swept in , and three waves struck nearby coasts . It impacted hardest along the Calabrian coast and inundated Reggio Calabria after the sea had receded 70 meters from the shore . The entire Reggio seafront was destroyed and numbers of people who had gathered there perished . Nearby Villa San Giovanni was also badly hit . Along the coast between Lazzaro and Pellaro , houses and a railway bridge were washed away . The cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were almost completely destroyed and between 75,000 and 200,000 lives were lost
strong earthquake
1908 Messina earthquake
Giovanni Giolitti