Historical tsunamis · Feb 23, 1969, 12:36 AM UTC
1969 Makassar Strait tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Feb 23, 1969, 12:36 AM UTC originated near Makassar Strait (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 23, 1969, 12:36 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 15 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Deaths
- 664
- Injuries
- 97
- Houses destroyed
- 1,287
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 15 km.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m (Paletoang, Indonesia).
5 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 664 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 1,287.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 5 | 4.00 m Paletoang | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paletoang · North Sulawesi | 4.00 m | 31 km | Indonesia |
| Paro Sanga · West Sulawesi | 1.50 m | 14 km | Indonesia |
| Paiipi · West Sulawesi | 1.30 m | 20 km | Indonesia |
| Pamboang · South Sulawesi | 0.50 m | 33 km | Indonesia |
| Somba · South Sulawesi | 0.50 m | 20 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.