Historical tsunamis · Aug 14, 1968, 10:14 PM UTC
1968 Banda Sea tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Aug 14, 1968, 10:14 PM UTC originated near Banda Sea (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 14, 1968, 10:14 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 23 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 10.0 m
- Deaths
- 200
- Injuries
- 58
- Houses destroyed
- 800
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 23 km.
The highest documented water height was 10.0 m (Donggala, Indonesia).
7 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records 200 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 800.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
7Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 4 | 10.0 m Donggala | 200 | — |
 Japan | 3 | 0.06 m Tosa-Shimizu | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donggala · Central Sulawesi | 10.00 m | 98 km | Indonesia |
| Tambu · Central Sulawesi | 10.00 m | 29 km | Indonesia |
| Tosa-Shimizu · Kochi | 0.06 m | 3,861 km | Japan |
| Kushimoto · Wakayama | 0.04 m | 4,044 km | Japan |
| Mera · Chiba | 0.03 m | 4,371 km | Japan |
| Mapaga · Central Sulawesi | — | 33 km | Indonesia |
| Tuguan Island · West Sulawesi | — | 42 km | Indonesia |
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.