Historical tsunamis · Sep 4, 1596
1596 Beppu Bay, Kyushu tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Sep 4, 1596 originated near Beppu Bay, Kyushu (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 4, 1596
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Maximum documented water height
- 8.00 m
- Deaths
- 708
- Houses destroyed
- 80
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 8.00 m (Nata (Nada), Japan).
6 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 708 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 80.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
6Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 6 | 8.00 m Nata (Nada) | 708 | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nata (Nada) · Oita | 8.00 m | 13 km | Japan |
| Saganoseki · Oita | 8.00 m | 17 km | Japan |
| Uryu-Jima Island, Beppu Bay · Oita | 5.00 m | 19 km | Japan |
| Oita · Oita | 4.00 m | 11 km | Japan |
| Usuki · Oita | 4.00 m | 22 km | Japan |
| Uwaura · Oita | 4.00 m | 19 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.