Historical tsunamis · Feb 14, 1934, 3:59 AM UTC

1934 South China Sea tsunami

Philippines

The tsunami of Feb 14, 1934, 3:59 AM UTC originated near South China Sea (Philippines).

Key facts

Date
Feb 14, 1934, 3:59 AM UTC
Cause
Earthquake
Magnitude
M7.9
Depth
55 km
Maximum documented water height
—
Damage
limited (under US$ 1 million)
Observation records
1
Countries affected
1

It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 55 km.

1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.

Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).

Map of observation sites

1

Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.

Observations by country

CountryObservation recordsMaximum documented water heightDeathsEarliest arrival
Philippines1———

Highest documented water heights

1 / 1

Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.

Location / stationObserved heightDistance from sourceCountry
San Estaban, Luzon Island—155 kmPhilippines

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.