Historical tsunamis · May 1, 1917, 6:27 PM UTC
1917 Kermadec Islands tsunami
New Zealand
The tsunami of May 1, 1917, 6:27 PM UTC originated near Kermadec Islands (New Zealand).
Key facts
- Date
- May 1, 1917, 6:27 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.0
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.30 m
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.30 m (Honolulu, Oahu, Hi, United States).
5 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Honolulu, Oahu, Hi (United States) after 7:54 h.
Map of observation sites
5Each 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) · May 1, 1917, 6:27 PM UTC
- 7:54 hUnited States · Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · 0.30 m
- 13:58 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.06 m
5 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States | 4 | 0.30 m Honolulu, Oahu, Hi | — | 7:54 h |
 Canada | 1 | 0.06 m Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia | — | 13:58 h |
Highest documented water heights
5 / 5Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.30 m | 5,954 km | United States |
| San Diego, Ca · Ca | 0.10 m | 9,317 km | United States |
| San Francisco, Ca · Ca | 0.10 m | 9,341 km | United States |
| Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · Bc | 0.06 m | 10,048 km | Canada |
| La Jolla, Ca · Ca | — | 9,322 km | United States |
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.