Historical tsunamis · Aug 19, 1977, 6:08 AM UTC
1977 Sunda Islands tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Aug 19, 1977, 6:08 AM UTC originated near Sunda Islands (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 19, 1977, 6:08 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.3
- Depth
- 25 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 15.0 m
- Deaths
- 189
- Injuries
- 75
- Damage
- US$ 1.2 million
- Observation records
- 16
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake at a depth of 25 km.
The highest documented water height was 15.0 m (Sumbawa Island, Indonesia).
16 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Legendre Island (Australia) after 2:51 h.
The database records 189 deaths.
Damage is estimated at US$ 1.2 million.
Map of observation sites
16Each 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) · Aug 19, 1977, 6:08 AM UTC
- 2:51 hAustralia · Legendre Island · 1.00 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 8 | 15.0 m Sumbawa Island | 214 | — |
 Australia | 8 | 6.00 m Cape Leveque | — | 2:51 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 16Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumbawa Island · West Nusa Tenggara | 15.00 m | 259 km | Indonesia |
| Cape Leveque | 6.00 m | 759 km | Australia |
| Kuta, Lombok Island · West Nusa Tenggara | 5.50 m | 339 km | Indonesia |
| Awang, Lombok Island · West Nusa Tenggara | 4.30 m | 331 km | Indonesia |
| Nusa Dua, Bali Island · Bali | 4.10 m | 432 km | Indonesia |
| Port Sampson | 4.00 m | 1,060 km | Australia |
| Nusa Dua, Bali Island · Bali | 2.80 m | 432 km | Indonesia |
| Sanur Beach, Bali Island · Bali | 2.50 m | 437 km | Indonesia |
| Dampier | 2.44 m | 1,067 km | Australia |
| Benoa, Bali Island · Bali | 1.50 m | 438 km | Indonesia |
| Legendre Island | 1.00 m | 1,030 km | Australia |
| Dampier Service Wharf | 0.75 m | 1,063 km | Australia |
| Dampier Tug Jetty | 0.60 m | 1,067 km | Australia |
| Broome | — | 862 km | Australia |
| Lombok Island · West Nusa Tenggara | — | 363 km | Indonesia |
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.