Historical tsunamis · Sep 6, 1889, 12:00 PM UTC
1889 N. Moluccas Islands tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Sep 6, 1889, 12:00 PM UTC originated near N. Moluccas Islands (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 6, 1889, 12:00 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.0
- Depth
- 70 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Houses destroyed
- some (about 51–100)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake at a depth of 70 km.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m (Kema, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia).
7 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Houses destroyed: some (about 51–100).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
7Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 7 | 4.00 m Kema, Sulawesi Island | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kema, Sulawesi Island · North Sulawesi | 4.00 m | 137 km | Indonesia |
| Bentenan, Sulawesi · North Sulawesi | 2.50 m | 151 km | Indonesia |
| Amurang, Sulawesi · North Sulawesi | 2.00 m | 188 km | Indonesia |
| Manado, Sulawesi Island · North Sulawesi | 2.00 m | 166 km | Indonesia |
| Tahuna · North Sulawesi | 1.50 m | 302 km | Indonesia |
| Peta, Sangihe Island, Sulawesi · North Sulawesi | — | 303 km | Indonesia |
| Ternate Island · North Maluku | — | 128 km | Indonesia |
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.