Historical tsunamis · Nov 15, 1961, 7:17 AM UTC
1961 SE. Hokkaido Island tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Nov 15, 1961, 7:17 AM UTC originated near SE. Hokkaido Island (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 15, 1961, 7:17 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.10 m
- Observation records
- 9
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.10 m (Hiroo, 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) · Nov 15, 1961, 7:17 AM UTC
- 0:28 hJapan · Kushiro · 0.04 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 Hiroo | — | 0:28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroo · Hokkaido | 0.10 m | 201 km | Japan |
| Nemuroko · Hokkaido | 0.08 m | 73 km | Japan |
| Hakodate · Hokkaido | 0.07 m | 425 km | Japan |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.07 m | 65 km | Japan |
| Tokachiko · Hokkaido | 0.05 m | 200 km | Japan |
| Urakawa · Hokkaido | 0.05 m | 248 km | Japan |
| Kushiro · Hokkaido | 0.04 m | 113 km | Japan |
| Kamaishi · Iwate | 0.03 m | 498 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 0.02 m | 460 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.