Historical tsunamis · Oct 17, 1974
1974 Ritter Island, Papua New Guinea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Oct 17, 1974 originated near Ritter Island, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 17, 1974
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Depth
- 70 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.50 m
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcanic eruption.
The highest documented water height was 0.50 m (Tupinier Island (Sakar), Papua New Guinea).
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
2Each 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 | 2 | 0.50 m Tupinier Island (Sakar) | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
2 / 2Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tupinier Island (Sakar) · Morobe | 0.50 m | 12 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi) · Morobe | 0.50 m | 16 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.