Historical tsunamis · Feb 4, 1976, 9:01 AM UTC
1976 Guatemala tsunami
Guatemala
The tsunami of Feb 4, 1976, 9:01 AM UTC originated near Guatemala (Guatemala).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 4, 1976, 9:01 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Depth
- 5 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.12 m
- Deaths
- 23,000
- Injuries
- 76,000
- Houses destroyed
- 255,000
- Damage
- US$ 2,147 million
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake at a depth of 5 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.12 m (Puerto Cortes, Honduras).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Puerto Cortes (Honduras) after 0:10 h.
The database records 23,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 255,000.
Damage is estimated at US$ 2,147 million.
Map of observation sites
1Each 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) · Feb 4, 1976, 9:01 AM UTC
- 0:10 hHonduras · Puerto Cortes · 0.12 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Honduras | 1 | 0.12 m Puerto Cortes | — | 0:10 h |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Cortes | 0.12 m | 139 km | Honduras |
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.