Historical tsunamis · Jan 22, 1959, 5:10 AM UTC
1959 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Jan 22, 1959, 5:10 AM UTC originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 22, 1959, 5:10 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.8
- Depth
- 40 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.80 m
- Observation records
- 9
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake at a depth of 40 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.80 m.
9 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
9Each 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) · Jan 22, 1959, 5:10 AM UTC
- 0:32 hJapan · Enoshima · 0.06 m
8 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 9 | 0.45 m Ayukawa | — | 0:32 h |
Highest documented water heights
9 / 9Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.45 m | 108 km | Japan |
| Kamaishi · Iwate | 0.18 m | 198 km | Japan |
| Tsukihama · Miyagi | 0.13 m | 136 km | Japan |
| Matsukawaura · Fukushima | 0.10 m | 113 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 0.08 m | 239 km | Japan |
| Nakaminato · Ibaraki | 0.08 m | 193 km | Japan |
| Onahama · Fukushima | 0.08 m | 131 km | Japan |
| Tanaka (Nakaminato) · Ibaraki | 0.08 m | 194 km | Japan |
| Enoshima · Miyagi | 0.06 m | 113 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.