Historical tsunamis · Jul 14, 1971, 6:11 AM UTC
1971 Solomon Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Jul 14, 1971, 6:11 AM UTC originated near Solomon Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 14, 1971, 6:11 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 47 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 6.00 m
- Deaths
- 3
- Injuries
- 5
- Damage
- US$ 0.2 million
- Observation records
- 32
- Countries affected
- 6
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 47 km.
The highest documented water height was 6.00 m (Lambon Island, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea).
32 observation sites in 6 countries are recorded.
The database records 3 deaths.
Damage is estimated at US$ 0.2 million.
Map of observation sites
32Each 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) · Jul 14, 1971, 6:11 AM UTC
- 0:30 hPapua New Guinea · Rabaul, New Britain · 2.00 m
2 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 7 | 6.00 m Lambon Island, New Ireland | 1 | 0:30 h |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 1 | 0.24 m Kwajalein, Marshall Islands | — | — |
 Japan | 15 | 0.12 m Onahama | — | — |
 United States | 5 | 0.12 m Kahului, Maui, Hi | — | — |
| USA Territory | 3 | 0.10 m Midway Islands | — | — |
| Micronesia, Fed. States Of | 1 | 0.06 m Truk Islands, Caroline Islands | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 32Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambon Island, New Ireland | 6.00 m | 141 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Pomio, New Britain · East New Britain | 3.00 m | 264 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | 2.00 m | 238 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Sohano, Madehas Island | 1.50 m | 81 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Anewa Bay, Bougainville · Bougainville | 0.24 m | 198 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Kwajalein, Marshall Islands · Mh | 0.24 m | 2,199 km | Marshall Islands, Rep. Of |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | 0.12 m | 6,156 km | United States |
| Onahama · Fukushima | 0.12 m | 4,888 km | Japan |
| Hanasaki · Hokkaido | 0.11 m | 5,467 km | Japan |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 6,245 km | United States |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 6,041 km | United States |
| Kushimoto · Wakayama | 0.10 m | 4,717 km | Japan |
| Midway Islands · Hi | 0.10 m | 4,840 km | USA Territory |
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 5,930 km | United States |
| Aburatsu · Miyazaki | 0.07 m | 4,748 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.