Historical tsunamis · Mar 13, 1888
1888 Ritter Island tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Mar 13, 1888 originated near Ritter Island (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 13, 1888
- Cause
- Volcano and landslide
- Maximum documented water height
- 15.0 m
- Deaths
- very many (over 1,000)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 12
- Countries affected
- 3
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcano and landslide.
The highest documented water height was 15.0 m (Tupinier Island (Sakar), Papua New Guinea).
12 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records very many (over 1,000) deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
12Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 10 | 15.0 m Tupinier Island (Sakar) | — | — |
 Chile | 1 | — | — | — |
 Australia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
12 / 12Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tupinier Island (Sakar) · Morobe | 15.00 m | 12 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi) · Morobe | 15.00 m | 16 km | Papua New Guinea |
| West Coast New Britain · West New Britain | 12.00 m | 22 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Kelana · Morobe | 10.50 m | 88 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Hatzfeldt Bay (Hatzfeldhafen) · Madang | 8.00 m | 347 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Matupi Island, New Britain · East New Britain | 4.50 m | 472 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Arica · Arica Y Parinacota | — | 15,043 km | Chile |
| Cape Huon (Salamoa Harbor) · Morobe | — | 203 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Finschhafen · Morobe | — | 123 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Gazelle Peninsula · East New Britain | — | 434 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | — | 473 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Sydney | — | 3,153 km | Australia |
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.