Historical tsunamis · Nov 4, 1927, 1:50 PM UTC
1927 S. California tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Nov 4, 1927, 1:50 PM UTC originated near S. California (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 4, 1927, 1:50 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.3
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.80 m
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 8
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.80 m (Surf, Ca, United States).
8 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
8Each 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 4, 1927, 1:50 PM UTC
- 1:09 hUnited States · San Francisco, Ca · 0.02 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 8 | 1.80 m Surf, Ca | — | 1:09 h |
Highest documented water heights
8 / 8Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf, Ca · Ca | 1.80 m | 24 km | United States |
| Port San Luis, Ca · Ca | 1.20 m | 40 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 3,758 km | United States |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 3,914 km | United States |
| La Jolla, Ca · Ca | 0.04 m | 390 km | United States |
| San Francisco, Ca · Ca | 0.02 m | 365 km | United States |
| Pismo Beach, Ca · Ca | — | 38 km | United States |
| San Diego, Ca · Ca | — | 407 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.