Historical tsunamis · Aug 8, 1946, 1:28 PM UTC
1946 Northeastern Coast tsunami
Dominican Republic
The tsunami of Aug 8, 1946, 1:28 PM UTC originated near Northeastern Coast (Dominican Republic).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 8, 1946, 1:28 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Depth
- 15 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.60 m
- Deaths
- 75
- Observation records
- 13
- Countries affected
- 5
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake at a depth of 15 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.60 m (San Juan, USA Territory).
13 observation sites in 5 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at San Juan (USA Territory) after 0:35 h.
The database records 75 deaths.
Map of observation sites
13Each 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) · Aug 8, 1946, 1:28 PM UTC
- 0:35 hUSA Territory · San Juan · 0.60 m
- 2:02 hBermuda (UK Territory) · Bermuda
- 4:02 hUnited States · Daytona Beach, Fl
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA Territory | 3 | 0.60 m San Juan | — | 0:35 h |
 Cuba | 5 | — | — | — |
 United States | 2 | — | — | 4:02 h |
| Dominican Republic | 2 | — | 75 | — |
| Bermuda (UK Territory) | 1 | — | — | 2:02 h |
Highest documented water heights
13 / 13Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan · Pr | 0.60 m | 372 km | USA Territory |
| Aguadilla · Pr | — | 275 km | USA Territory |
| Atlantic City, Nj · Nj | — | 2,251 km | United States |
| Baracoa | — | 531 km | Cuba |
| Bermuda | — | 1,504 km | Bermuda (UK Territory) |
| Daytona Beach, Fl · Fl | — | 1,586 km | United States |
| Guanabo | — | 1,371 km | Cuba |
| Jaimanita | — | 1,405 km | Cuba |
| Marianao | — | 1,397 km | Cuba |
| Mayaguez · Pr | — | 286 km | USA Territory |
| Sabana de la Mar | — | 49 km | Dominican Republic |
| Santa Fe | — | 1,403 km | Cuba |
| Santo Domingo | — | 120 km | Dominican Republic |
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.