Historical tsunamis · May 1, 1939, 5:58 AM UTC
1939 NW. Honshu Island tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of May 1, 1939, 5:58 AM UTC originated near NW. Honshu Island (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- May 1, 1939, 5:58 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.20 m
- Deaths
- 27
- Injuries
- 52
- Houses destroyed
- 479
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 22
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 1.20 m (Tsubaki, Japan).
22 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 27 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 479.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
22Each 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) · May 1, 1939, 5:58 AM UTC
- 0:18 hJapan · Tsuchizakiko · 0.14 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 22 | 1.20 m Tsubaki | — | 0:18 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 22Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsubaki · Akita | 1.20 m | 53 km | Japan |
| Yushiri · Akita | 0.90 m | 26 km | Japan |
| Tsuchizakiko · Akita | 0.14 m | 63 km | Japan |
| Sakata · Yamagata | 0.05 m | 134 km | Japan |
| Ajigasawa · Aomori | 0.03 m | 97 km | Japan |
| Noshiroko · Akita | 0.03 m | 44 km | Japan |
| Hadachi · Akita | — | 38 km | Japan |
| Hamamaguchi · Akita | — | 31 km | Japan |
| Hamanaka · Yamagata | — | 144 km | Japan |
| Hamashioya · Akita | — | 25 km | Japan |
| Hataka · Akita | — | 20 km | Japan |
| Kamo · Akita | — | 30 km | Japan |
| Kanagasaki · Akita | — | 85 km | Japan |
| Kita'ura · Akita | — | 28 km | Japan |
| Kohama · Aomori | — | 131 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.