Historical tsunamis · Dec 23, 1930, 9:35 PM UTC
1930 Bismarck Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Dec 23, 1930, 9:35 PM UTC originated near Bismarck Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 23, 1930, 9:35 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.5
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 12.0 m
- Deaths
- 27
- Injuries
- 8
- Houses destroyed
- 104
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 26
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 12.0 m (Mal Island, Ninigo Silands, Papua New Guinea).
26 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 27 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 104.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
26Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 24 | 12.0 m Mal Island, Ninigo Silands | 27 | — |
 Chile | 1 | — | — | — |
 Australia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 26Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mal Island, Ninigo Silands · Manus | 12.00 m | 18 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Sapara · Madang | 7.60 m | 373 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Awar Plantation · Madang | 3.60 m | 319 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Awin Island, Ninigo Islands · Manus | 2.50 m | 49 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Bimat · Madang | — | 350 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Bogia · Madang | — | 337 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Busip · Madang | — | 358 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Cape Gordon · Madang | — | 360 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Coquimbo · Coquimbo Classified as doubtful | — | 14,895 km | Chile |
| Karkar Island · Madang | — | 408 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Kelaua Plantation · Madang | — | 353 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Korak · Madang | — | 381 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Lau Island, Ninigo Islands · Manus | — | 28 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Liot Island, Ninigo Islands · Manus | — | 81 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Malala · Madang | — | 367 km | Papua New Guinea |
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.