Historical tsunamis · Nov 25, 1953, 5:48 PM UTC
1953 Kashima, Japan tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Nov 25, 1953, 5:48 PM UTC originated near Kashima, Japan (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 25, 1953, 5:48 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 1
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 33
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Choshi, Japan).
33 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak (United States) after 4:12 h.
The database records 1 deaths.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
33Each 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) · Nov 25, 1953, 5:48 PM UTC
- 0:18 hJapan · Ito · 0.14 m
- 4:12 hUnited States · Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · 0.20 m
- 5:06 hUSA Territory · Midway Islands · 0.10 m
12 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 30 | 3.00 m Choshi | — | 0:18 h |
 United States | 2 | 0.20 m Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak | — | 4:12 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.10 m Midway Islands | — | 5:06 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 33Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choshi · Chiba | 3.00 m | 208 km | Japan |
| Inuwaka · Chiba | 3.00 m | 204 km | Japan |
| Sotokawa · Tshiba | 3.00 m | 204 km | Japan |
| Mera · Chiba | 1.82 m | 200 km | Japan |
| Tomisaki · Chiba | 1.80 m | 201 km | Japan |
| Kominato · Chiba | 1.50 m | 185 km | Japan |
| Yaene, Hachijo Island · Tokyo | 1.50 m | 205 km | Japan |
| Naarai (Choshi City) · Chiba | 1.20 m | 206 km | Japan |
| Honze · Shizuoka | 0.80 m | 271 km | Japan |
| Shimoda · Shizuoka | 0.80 m | 264 km | Japan |
| Katsuura (Katsuurashi) · Chiba | 0.66 m | 180 km | Japan |
| Choshi · Chiba | 0.50 m | 208 km | Japan |
| Mera · Chiba | 0.48 m | 200 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.39 m | 478 km | Japan |
| Kushimoto · Wakayama | 0.37 m | 551 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.