Historical tsunamis · Sep 7, 1882, 7:50 AM UTC
1882 San Blas Archipelago tsunami
Panama
The tsunami of Sep 7, 1882, 7:50 AM UTC originated near San Blas Archipelago (Panama).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 7, 1882, 7:50 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 40 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 100
- Injuries
- some (about 51–100)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 40 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (San Blas Archipelago, Panama).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 100 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
3Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | 3 | 3.00 m San Blas Archipelago | 100 | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Blas Archipelago | 3.00 m | 52 km | Panama |
| Colon | 0.62 m | 122 km | Panama |
| Rio Indio | — | 153 km | Panama |
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.