Historical tsunamis · Nov 5, 1938, 10:50 AM UTC
1938 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Nov 5, 1938, 10:50 AM UTC originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 5, 1938, 10:50 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 30 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.56 m
- Observation records
- 12
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 30 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.56 m (Hanabuchi, Japan).
12 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
12Each 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 5, 1938, 10:50 AM UTC
- 0:30 hJapan · Choshi · 0.14 m
11 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 12 | 0.56 m Hanabuchi | — | 0:30 h |
Highest documented water heights
12 / 12Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanabuchi · Miyagi | 0.56 m | 132 km | Japan |
| Onahama · Fukushima | 0.40 m | 77 km | Japan |
| Tsukihama · Miyagi | 0.32 m | 153 km | Japan |
| Kesennumagyoko · Miyagi | 0.25 m | 189 km | Japan |
| Hachinohe · Aomori | 0.22 m | 370 km | Japan |
| Ishinomaki · Miyagi | 0.15 m | 140 km | Japan |
| Oshima (Shiogamako) · Miyagi | 0.15 m | 137 km | Japan |
| Shiogama · Miyagi | 0.15 m | 137 km | Japan |
| Choshi · Chiba | 0.14 m | 177 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | — | 123 km | Japan |
| Hakodate · Hokkaido | — | 509 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | — | 273 km | Japan |
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.