Historical tsunamis · Feb 19, 1897, 8:50 PM UTC
1897 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Feb 19, 1897, 8:50 PM UTC originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 19, 1897, 8:50 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.00 m
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.00 m (Sakari, Ofunato Bay, Japan).
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
2Each 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)
- 0:15 hJapan · Ayukawa · 0.05 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 2 | 1.00 m Sakari, Ofunato Bay | — | 0:15 h |
Highest documented water heights
2 / 2Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sakari, Ofunato Bay · Iwate | 1.00 m | 111 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.05 m | 42 km | Japan |
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.