Historical tsunamis · Jun 12, 1968, 1:41 PM UTC
1968 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Jun 12, 1968, 1:41 PM UTC originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Jun 12, 1968, 1:41 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.2
- Depth
- 44 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.95 m
- Observation records
- 28
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake at a depth of 44 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.95 m (Taro, Japan).
28 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
28Each 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) · Jun 12, 1968, 1:41 PM UTC
- 0:22 hJapan · Miyako · 0.40 m
14 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 28 | 0.95 m Taro | — | 0:22 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 28Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taro · Iwate | 0.95 m | 103 km | Japan |
| Shimanokoshi · Iwate | 0.78 m | 114 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.50 m | 185 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 0.40 m | 100 km | Japan |
| Urakawa · Hokkaido | 0.33 m | 309 km | Japan |
| Shirahama · Wakayama | 0.29 m | 167 km | Japan |
| Hachinohe · Aomori | 0.24 m | 184 km | Japan |
| Enoshima · Miyagi | 0.22 m | 171 km | Japan |
| Kesennumahashikami · Miyagi | 0.22 m | 144 km | Japan |
| Ofunatoko · Iwate | 0.21 m | 124 km | Japan |
| Ofunato · Iwate | 0.20 m | 124 km | Japan |
| Onagawa · Miyagi | 0.20 m | 179 km | Japan |
| Onahama · Fukushima | 0.20 m | 335 km | Japan |
| Same · Fukushima | 0.20 m | 342 km | Japan |
| Tokachiko · Hokkaido | 0.19 m | 323 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.