Historical tsunamis · Jun 26, 1917, 5:49 AM UTC
1917 Samoa Islands tsunami
Samoa
The tsunami of Jun 26, 1917, 5:49 AM UTC originated near Samoa Islands (Samoa).
Key facts
- Date
- Jun 26, 1917, 5:49 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.3
- Depth
- 25 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 12.2 m
- Deaths
- 2
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 16
- Countries affected
- 5
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake at a depth of 25 km.
The highest documented water height was 12.2 m.
16 observation sites in 5 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Honolulu, Oahu, Hi (United States) after 7:42 h.
The database records 2 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
16Each 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) · Jun 26, 1917, 5:49 AM UTC
- 0:06 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.40 m
- 7:42 hUnited States · Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · 0.10 m
- 11:28 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.05 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tonga | 2 | 4.20 m Haapai | — | — |
| Samoa | 8 | 3.10 m Upolu Island | 2 | 0:06 h |
| USA Territory | 2 | 2.40 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | — |
 United States | 3 | 0.10 m Honolulu, Oahu, Hi | — | 7:42 h |
 Canada | 1 | 0.05 m Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia | — | 11:28 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 16Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haapai | 4.20 m | 495 km | Tonga |
| Upolu Island | 3.10 m | 210 km | Samoa |
| Aleipata Coast, Upolu Island | 3.00 m | 236 km | Samoa |
| Niuatoputapu | 2.74 m | 97 km | Tonga |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As | 2.40 m | 283 km | USA Territory |
| Apia, Upolu Island | 0.40 m | 228 km | Samoa |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 4,394 km | United States |
| San Diego, Ca · Ca | 0.10 m | 7,982 km | United States |
| Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · Bc | 0.05 m | 8,529 km | Canada |
| San Francisco, Ca · Ca | 0.04 m | 7,916 km | United States |
| Fagaloa | — | 195 km | Samoa |
| Leone, Tutuila, American Samoa · As | — | 271 km | USA Territory |
| Lotofaga, Upolu Island | — | 223 km | Samoa |
| Palauli, Savai'i | — | 207 km | Samoa |
| Sainili (Sinalei) | — | 210 km | Samoa |
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.