Historical tsunamis · Aug 1, 1968, 8:19 PM UTC
1968 E. Luzon Island tsunami
Philippines
The tsunami of Aug 1, 1968, 8:19 PM UTC originated near E. Luzon Island (Philippines).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 1, 1968, 8:19 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.3
- Depth
- 36 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.16 m
- Deaths
- 270
- Injuries
- 261
- Houses destroyed
- few (up to about 50)
- Damage
- US$ 8.0 million
- Observation records
- 41
- Countries affected
- 4
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake at a depth of 36 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.16 m (Mera, Japan).
41 observation sites in 4 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Naze (Japan) after 2:23 h.
The database records 270 deaths.
Houses destroyed: few (up to about 50).
Damage is estimated at US$ 8.0 million.
Map of observation sites
41Each 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 1, 1968, 8:19 PM UTC
- 2:23 hJapan · Naze · 0.06 m
15 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | 33 | 0.16 m Mera | — | 2:23 h |
 United States | 3 | 0.10 m Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak | — | — |
| USA Territory | 3 | 0.09 m Wake Island | — | — |
| Philippines | 2 | 0.09 m Legaspi | 1 | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 41Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mera · Chiba | 0.16 m | 2,691 km | Japan |
| Ishigakiko · Okinawa | 0.15 m | 891 km | Japan |
| Naha, Ryukyu Island · Okinawa | 0.15 m | 1,123 km | Japan |
| Kushimoto · Wakayama | 0.14 m | 2,321 km | Japan |
| Murotomisaki · Kochi | 0.14 m | 2,212 km | Japan |
| Omaezaki · Shizuoka | 0.12 m | 2,565 km | Japan |
| Attu, Massacre Bay, Ak · Ak | 0.10 m | 5,981 km | United States |
| Choshi · Chiba | 0.10 m | 2,823 km | Japan |
| Legaspi | 0.09 m | 406 km | Philippines |
| Minami-Izu · Shizuoka | 0.09 m | 2,607 km | Japan |
| Wake Island · Um | 0.09 m | 4,705 km | USA Territory |
| Aburatsu · Miyazaki | 0.08 m | 1,914 km | Japan |
| Kozushima · Izu-Oshima, Tokyo | 0.08 m | 2,591 km | Japan |
| Tosa-Shimizu · Kochi | 0.08 m | 2,104 km | Japan |
| Ayukawa · Miyagi | 0.07 m | 3,065 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.