Historical tsunamis · Jan 17, 1929, 11:52 AM UTC
1929 Cumana tsunami
Venezuela
The tsunami of Jan 17, 1929, 11:52 AM UTC originated near Cumana (Venezuela).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 17, 1929, 11:52 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Maximum documented water height
- 6.00 m
- Deaths
- 50
- Injuries
- 800
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 6.00 m (Cumana, Venezuela).
5 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 50 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
5Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 5 | 6.00 m Cumana | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumana | 6.00 m | 154 km | Venezuela |
| El Salado, Cumana | 2.74 m | 155 km | Venezuela |
| El Barbudo | — | 158 km | Venezuela |
| Manicuare | — | 245 km | Venezuela |
| Puerto Sucre | — | 196 km | Venezuela |
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.