Historical tsunamis · Oct 31, 1970, 5:53 PM UTC
1970 Papua New Guinea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Oct 31, 1970, 5:53 PM UTC originated near Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 31, 1970, 5:53 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M7.3
- Depth
- 8 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 18
- Injuries
- 20
- Houses destroyed
- 800
- Damage
- US$ 1.8 million
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake at a depth of 8 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Karkar Island, Papua New Guinea).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 18 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 800.
Damage is estimated at US$ 1.8 million.
Map of observation sites
3Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 3 | 3.00 m Karkar Island | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karkar Island · Madang | 3.00 m | 70 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Madang | 1.20 m | 50 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Biliau Island | — | 121 km | Papua New Guinea |
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.