Historical tsunamis · Aug 11, 1961, 3:51 PM UTC
1961 SE. Hokkaido Island tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Aug 11, 1961, 3:51 PM UTC originated near SE. Hokkaido Island (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 11, 1961, 3:51 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 80 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.10 m
- Observation records
- 9
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 80 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.10 m (Kuji, Japan).
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) · Aug 11, 1961, 3:51 PM UTC
- 0:30 hJapan · Hanasaki · 0.06 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 9 | 0.10 m Kuji | — | 0:30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuji · Iwate | 0.10 m | 441 km | Japan |
| Nemuroko · Hokkaido | 0.08 m | 50 km | Japan |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.06 m | 42 km | Japan |
| Kushiro · Hokkaido | 0.06 m | 101 km | Japan |
| Tokachiko · Hokkaido | 0.06 m | 198 km | Japan |
| Urakawa · Hokkaido | 0.05 m | 247 km | Japan |
| Hiroo · Hokkaido | 0.04 m | 199 km | Japan |
| Hakodate · Hokkaido | 0.03 m | 423 km | Japan |
| Kujiko · Iwate | 0.03 m | 435 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.