Historical tsunamis · Mar 20, 1939, 3:22 AM UTC
1939 Seikaido tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Mar 20, 1939, 3:22 AM UTC originated near Seikaido (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 20, 1939, 3:22 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.6
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.80 m
- Deaths
- 1
- Houses destroyed
- 1
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake at a depth of 20 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.80 m.
4 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 1 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 1.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
4Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 4 | 0.40 m Murotomisaki | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
4 / 4Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murotomisaki · Kochi | 0.40 m | 230 km | Japan |
| Aburatsu · Miyazaki | 0.08 m | 97 km | Japan |
| Tosa-Shimizu · Kochi | 0.06 m | 105 km | Japan |
| Hososhima · Miyazaki | 0.04 m | 35 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.