Historical tsunamis · Mar 9, 1952, 5:04 PM UTC
1952 SE. Hokkaido Island tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Mar 9, 1952, 5:04 PM UTC originated near SE. Hokkaido Island (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 9, 1952, 5:04 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.30 m
- Injuries
- 17
- Houses destroyed
- 113
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 20 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.30 m.
4 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Houses destroyed: 113.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 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.
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) · Mar 9, 1952, 5:04 PM UTC
- 0:35 hJapan · Kushiro
2 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 3 | 0.15 m Hachinohe | — | 0:35 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hachinohe · Aomori | 0.15 m | 217 km | Japan |
| Kushiro · Hokkaido | — | 155 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | — | 266 km | Japan |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As Classified as doubtful | — | 7,772 km | USA Territory |
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.