Historical tsunamis · May 29, 1937
1937 Rabaul tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of May 29, 1937 originated near Rabaul (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- May 29, 1937
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Maximum documented water height
- 2.50 m
- Deaths
- 507
- Houses destroyed
- few (up to about 50)
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcanic eruption.
The highest documented water height was 2.50 m (Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 507 deaths.
Houses destroyed: few (up to about 50).
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
3Each 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 | 3 | 2.50 m Rabaul, New Britain | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | 2.50 m | 6 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Keravat Bay, New Britain | 1.50 m | 6 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Matupi Island, New Britain · East New Britain | — | 3 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.