Historical tsunamis · May 10, 1877, 12:59 AM UTC
1877 Northern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of May 10, 1877, 12:59 AM UTC originated near Northern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- May 10, 1877, 12:59 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.3
- Maximum documented water height
- 18.0 m
- Deaths
- 2,385
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 105
- Countries affected
- 10
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 18.0 m (Huanillos, Chile).
105 observation sites in 10 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Ilo (Peru) after 0:18 h.
The database records 2,385 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
105Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Tsunami arrival times
Documented arrival times from the NOAA/NCEI database, showing the earliest recorded location per country. Coverage is incomplete: a country without an entry was not necessarily spared.
- 0:00 hEarthquake (origin)
- 0:06 hChile · Tocopilla · 14.00 m
- 0:18 hPeru · Ilo · 6.00 m
- 13:05 hUnited States · San Francisco, Ca · 0.18 m
- 13:30 hNew Zealand · Wellington · 0.80 m
- 15:00 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.90 m
- 23:00 hJapan · Kamaishi · 3.00 m
36 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 31 | 18.0 m Huanillos | 277 | 0:06 h |
 Peru | 21 | 6.00 m Ilo | — | 0:18 h |
 United States | 17 | 4.80 m Waiakea, Hilo District, Hawaii, Hi | 5 | 13:05 h |
 New Zealand | 18 | 3.00 m Akaroa | — | 13:30 h |
 Japan | 9 | 3.00 m Kamaishi | — | 23:00 h |
 Fiji | 1 | 2.00 m Fiji Islands | 2,000 | — |
 Mexico | 1 | 1.00 m Acapulco | — | — |
 Samoa | 1 | 0.90 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | 15:00 h |
 Australia | 4 | 0.39 m Newcastle | — | — |
 Vanuatu | 2 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 105Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.
| Location / station | Observed height | Distance from source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huanillos · Tarapaca | 18.00 m | 54 km | Chile |
| Tocopilla · Antofagasta | 14.00 m | 72 km | Chile |
| Mejillones · Antofagasta | 11.50 m | 177 km | Chile |
| Caleta Pabellon de Pica · Tarapaca | 10.00 m | 76 km | Chile |
| Chanabaya · Tarapaca | 10.00 m | 77 km | Chile |
| Punta Lobos · Tarapaca | 10.00 m | 63 km | Chile |
| Arica · Arica Y Parinacota | 9.00 m | 336 km | Chile |
| Cobija · Antofagasta | 9.00 m | 119 km | Chile |
| Antofagasta · Antofagasta | 6.00 m | 238 km | Chile |
| Ilo · Moquegua | 6.00 m | 436 km | Peru |
| Iquique · Tarapaca | 6.00 m | 146 km | Chile |
| Salinas · Lima | 6.00 m | 1,309 km | Peru |
| Chanaral · Atacama | 5.00 m | 541 km | Chile |
| Constitucion · Maule | 5.00 m | 1,544 km | Chile |
| Pisagua · Tarapaca | 5.00 m | 212 km | Chile |
More tsunamis
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Historical Tsunami Database. Confirmed events only. Deaths and damage are database estimates; older records are incomplete. Water heights come from different types of observation.