Historical tsunamis · May 22, 1960, 7:11 PM UTC
1960 Southern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of May 22, 1960, 7:11 PM UTC originated near Southern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- May 22, 1960, 7:11 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M9.5
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 25.0 m
- Deaths
- 2,226
- Injuries
- 3,000
- Houses destroyed
- 58,622
- Damage
- US$ 1,000 million
- Observation records
- 1,260
- Countries affected
- 35
It was triggered by a magnitude 9.5 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 25.0 m (Isla Mocha, Chile).
1,260 observation sites in 35 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Matarani (Peru) after 3:25 h.
The database records 2,226 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 58,622.
Damage is estimated at US$ 1,000 million.
Map of observation sites
1260Each 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) · May 22, 1960, 7:11 PM UTC
- 0:50 hChile · Lacuy (Lacui), Isla de Chiloe · 15.00 m
- 3:25 hPeru · Matarani · 0.61 m
- 6:09 hEcuador · La Libertad · 0.96 m
- 8:14 hCosta Rica · Puntarenas · 0.59 m
- 9:24 hGuatemala · San Jose · 0.49 m
- 9:29 hPanama · Naos Is, Canal Zone, Pacific Coast · 0.20 m
- 9:45 hMexico · Salina Cruz · 0.79 m
- 12:18 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 4.90 m
- 12:22 hUSA Territory · Pago Pago, American Samoa · 2.40 m
- 12:29 hNew Zealand · Taylors Point · 0.30 m
- 13:19 hFiji · Suva, King's Wharf · 0.50 m
- 13:34 hAustralia · Fort Denison, Sydney Harbor · 0.41 m
- 13:39 hUnited States · La Jolla, Ca · 0.52 m
- 13:52 hKiribati · Christmas Island, Line Islands · 0.23 m
- 17:09 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.63 m
- 17:49 hSolomon Islands · Buala Wharf, Santa Isabel Island · 1.50 m
156 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 32 | 25.0 m Isla Mocha | 333 | 0:50 h |
| UK Territory | 1 | 12.2 m Pitcairn Island | — | — |
 United States | 369 | 10.7 m Hilo, Hawaii, Hi | 63 | 13:39 h |
 Japan | 552 | 8.10 m Tamagawa | — | 22:24 h |
 Russia | 31 | 7.00 m Morzhovaya Bay, E Kamchatka | — | 21:30 h |
 New Zealand | 83 | 5.49 m Gisborne | — | 12:29 h |
 Argentina | 1 | 5.00 m Bariloche | 3 | — |
 Samoa | 1 | 4.90 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | 12:18 h |
 Australia | 79 | 4.30 m Middle Harbour, Sydney Harbour | — | 13:34 h |
 French Polynesia | 28 | 3.40 m Haapupuni, Tahiti | — | — |
| USA Territory | 7 | 2.40 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | 12:22 h |
 Canada | 19 | 2.14 m Shields Bay, British Columbia | — | 17:09 h |
 Papua New Guinea | 3 | 1.80 m Wewak | — | — |
 Solomon Islands | 8 | 1.50 m Buala Wharf, Santa Isabel Island | — | 17:49 h |
 Philippines | 5 | 1.46 m Hondagua | — | 24:09 h |
 Mexico | 7 | 1.23 m Ensenada | — | 9:45 h |
 Peru | 5 | 1.10 m Callao la Punta | — | 3:25 h |
 Ecuador | 2 | 0.96 m La Libertad | — | 6:09 h |
 Costa Rica | 2 | 0.59 m Puntarenas | — | 8:14 h |
 Taiwan | 6 | 0.58 m Keelung | — | 24:09 h |
 El Salvador | 1 | 0.53 m La Union | — | — |
 China | 1 | 0.50 m Hong Kong | — | 27:09 h |
 Fiji | 1 | 0.50 m Suva, King's Wharf | — | 13:19 h |
 Guatemala | 1 | 0.49 m San Jose | — | 9:24 h |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 2 | 0.38 m Kwajalein, Marshall Islands | — | 17:52 h |
| Micronesia, Fed. States Of | 1 | 0.30 m Truk Islands, Caroline Islands | — | 19:25 h |
 Kiribati | 2 | 0.23 m Christmas Island, Line Islands | — | 13:52 h |
 Panama | 1 | 0.20 m Naos Is, Canal Zone, Pacific Coast | — | 9:29 h |
 New Caledonia | 2 | 0.15 m Chaleix, Noumea | — | — |
 United Kingdom | 1 | 0.03 m Newlyn, Cornwall, England | — | — |
| Bermuda (UK Territory) | 1 | 0.03 m St. Georges | — | — |
 Colombia | 2 | — | — | — |
 Namibia | 1 | — | — | — |
 Mauritius | 1 | — | — | — |
 South Africa | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 1260Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Mocha · Biobio | 25.00 m | 52 km | Chile |
| Lacuy (Lacui), Isla de Chiloe · Los Lagos | 15.00 m | 409 km | Chile |
| Mehuin · Los Rios | 15.00 m | 144 km | Chile |
| Pitcairn Island · Pitcairn Islands | 12.20 m | 5,484 km | UK Territory |
| Punta Saavedra · Araucania | 11.50 m | 71 km | Chile |
| Isla Mocha, 1960 Tsunami · Biobio | 10.80 m | 53 km | Chile |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 10.70 m | 10,645 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 10.70 m | 10,645 km | United States |
| Corral · Los Rios | 10.00 m | 191 km | Chile |
| Guafo · Los Lagos | 10.00 m | 616 km | Chile |
| Isla de Chiloe · Los Lagos | 10.00 m | 486 km | Chile |
| Valdivia · Los Rios | 10.00 m | 185 km | Chile |
| Mansa River · Los Lagos | 8.50 m | 269 km | Chile |
| Tamagawa · Iwate | 8.10 m | 16,988 km | Japan |
| Ancud, Isla de Chiloe · Los Lagos | 8.00 m | 415 km | Chile |
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.