Historical tsunamis · August 1498
1498 Enshunada Sea tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of August 1498 originated near Enshunada Sea (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- August 1498
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.3
- Maximum documented water height
- 10.0 m
- Deaths
- 5,000
- Houses destroyed
- 1,000
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 10.0 m (Ominato (Ise), Japan).
6 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 5,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 1,000.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
6Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 6 | 10.0 m Ominato (Ise) | 31,201 | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ominato (Ise) · Mie | 10.00 m | 137 km | Japan |
| Kamakura · Kanagawa | — | 197 km | Japan |
| Lake Hamana · Shizuoka | — | 89 km | Japan |
| Nishina County · Shizuoka | — | 105 km | Japan |
| Yaene, Hachijo Island · Tokyo | — | 184 km | Japan |
| Yaizu · Shizuoka | — | 98 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.