Historical tsunamis · Aug 21, 1951, 10:57 AM UTC
1951 Hawaii tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Aug 21, 1951, 10:57 AM UTC originated near Hawaii (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 21, 1951, 10:57 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Depth
- 12 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.60 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at a depth of 12 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.60 m.
7 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
7Each 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 21, 1951, 10:57 AM UTC
- 0:38 hUnited States · Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · 0.03 m
2 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 7 | 1.20 m Hookena, Hawaii, Hi | — | 0:38 h |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hookena, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 1.20 m | 17 km | United States |
| Milolii, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 1.00 m | 36 km | United States |
| Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.90 m | 14 km | United States |
| Napoopoo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.90 m | 9 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 102 km | United States |
| Port Allen, Kauai, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 458 km | United States |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.03 m | 279 km | United States |
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.