Historical tsunamis · Apr 2, 1977, 7:15 AM UTC
1977 Samoa Islands tsunami
Samoa
The tsunami of Apr 2, 1977, 7:15 AM UTC originated near Samoa Islands (Samoa).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 2, 1977, 7:15 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.08 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.08 m (Pago Pago, American Samoa, USA Territory).
2 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Pago Pago, American Samoa (USA Territory) after 0:30 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
2Each 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) · Apr 2, 1977, 7:15 AM UTC
- 0:30 hUSA Territory · Pago Pago, American Samoa · 0.08 m
- 0:39 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.02 m
2 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.08 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | 0:30 h |
| Samoa | 1 | 0.02 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | 0:39 h |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As | 0.08 m | 307 km | USA Territory |
| Apia, Upolu Island | 0.02 m | 320 km | Samoa |
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.