Historical tsunamis · Nov 1, 1915, 7:23 AM UTC
1915 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Nov 1, 1915, 7:23 AM UTC originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 1, 1915, 7:23 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.00 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.00 m (Shizugawa Bay, Japan).
3 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia (Canada) after 9:32 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 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.
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) · Nov 1, 1915, 7:23 AM UTC
- 9:32 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.06 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 Shizugawa Bay | — | — |
 Canada | 1 | 0.06 m Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia | — | 9:32 h |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shizugawa Bay · Miyagi | 1.00 m | 133 km | Japan |
| Arahama Village · Miyagi | 0.90 m | 176 km | Japan |
| Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · Bc | 0.06 m | 6,993 km | Canada |
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.