1957 Andreanof Islands, Ak tsunami

Key facts

Date

Mar 9, 1957, 2:22 PM UTC

Cause

Earthquake

Magnitude

M8.6

Depth

33 km

Maximum documented water height

32.0 m

Deaths

2

Injuries

1

Houses destroyed

few (up to about 50)

Damage

severe (about US$ 5–25 million)

Observation records

332

Countries affected

19

Each 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.

1. 0:00 hEarthquake (origin) · Mar 9, 1957, 2:22 PM UTC
2. 1:08 hUnited States · Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · 0.58 m
3. 3:11 hUSA Territory · Midway Islands · 0.41 m
4. 4:45 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.26 m
5. 6:18 hMarshall Islands, Rep. Of · Kwajalein, Marshall Islands · 0.30 m
6. 6:48 hMexico · Ensenada · 1.04 m
7. 7:12 hMicronesia, Fed. States Of · Truk Islands, Caroline Islands · 0.09 m
8. 7:17 hKiribati · Christmas Island, Line Islands · 0.17 m
9. 9:06 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.20 m
10. 13:53 hChile · Easter Island · 0.70 m
11. 14:30 hCosta Rica · Puntarenas · 0.12 m
12. 15:03 hPeru · Talara · 0.40 m
13. 16:08 hEcuador · La Libertad · 0.53 m

53 places with a documented arrival time

Observations by country

Country	Observation records	Maximum documented water height	Deaths	Earliest arrival
United States	260	32.0 m E of Riding Cove, Unalaska, Ak	—	1:08 h
French Polynesia	1	6.00 m Marquesas Islands	—	—
Japan	27	3.00 m Hokkaido	—	—
USA Territory	7	1.50 m Fagasa, American Samoa	—	3:11 h
Mexico	9	1.04 m Ensenada	—	6:48 h
Chile	6	1.02 m Valparaiso	—	13:53 h
Peru	4	0.64 m Matarani	—	15:03 h
Ecuador	1	0.53 m La Libertad	—	16:08 h
El Salvador	2	0.50 m Acajutla	—	—
Papua New Guinea	1	0.50 m Aitape	—	—
Panama	1	0.40 m Puerto Armuelles	—	—
Marshall Islands, Rep. Of	2	0.30 m Enewetak, Marshall Islands	—	6:18 h
Canada	2	0.26 m Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia	—	4:45 h
Samoa	3	0.20 m Apia, Upolu Island	—	9:06 h
Kiribati	2	0.17 m Christmas Island, Line Islands	—	7:17 h
Costa Rica	1	0.12 m Puntarenas	—	14:30 h
Guatemala	1	0.09 m San Jose	—	—
Micronesia, Fed. States Of	1	0.09 m Truk Islands, Caroline Islands	—	7:12 h
Australia	1	0.07 m Fort Denison, Sydney Harbor	—	—

Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.

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