Historical tsunamis · Mar 30, 1965, 2:27 AM UTC
1965 Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Ak tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Mar 30, 1965, 2:27 AM UTC originated near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Ak (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 30, 1965, 2:27 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.10 m
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 20 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.10 m (Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak, United States).
3 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
3Each 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) · Mar 30, 1965, 2:27 AM UTC
- 5:24 hUnited States · Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · 0.10 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 | 0.10 m Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak | — | 5:24 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · Ak | 0.10 m | 431 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 4,147 km | United States |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As Classified as doubtful | — | 7,242 km | USA Territory |
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.