Historical tsunamis · Aug 17, 1972, 11:44 PM UTC
1972 Solomon Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Aug 17, 1972, 11:44 PM UTC originated near Solomon Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 17, 1972, 11:44 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.1
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.60 m
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.60 m (Pomio, New Britain, Papua New Guinea).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
1Each 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 | 1 | 0.60 m Pomio, New Britain | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomio, New Britain · East New Britain | 0.60 m | 162 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.