Historical tsunamis · Jul 10, 1586, 12:30 AM UTC
1586 Central Peru tsunami
Peru
The tsunami of Jul 10, 1586, 12:30 AM UTC originated near Central Peru (Peru).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 10, 1586, 12:30 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.5
- Depth
- 60 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 26.0 m
- Deaths
- 22
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake at a depth of 60 km.
The highest documented water height was 26.0 m (Lima, Peru).
5 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records 22 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
5Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | 3 | 26.0 m Lima | — | — |
 Japan | 2 | 2.50 m Shizukawa | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
5 / 5Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lima · Lima | 26.00 m | 66 km | Peru |
| Callao · Callao | 24.00 m | 66 km | Peru |
| Shizukawa · Miyagi Classified as doubtful | 2.50 m | 15,176 km | Japan |
| Miyagi (NE Honshu) · Miyagi Classified as doubtful | 2.00 m | 15,177 km | Japan |
| Trujillo · La Libertad | — | 486 km | Peru |
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.