Historical tsunamis · Jan 14, 1978, 3:24 AM UTC
1978 Tokaido tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Jan 14, 1978, 3:24 AM UTC originated near Tokaido (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 14, 1978, 3:24 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.6
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.35 m
- Deaths
- 25
- Injuries
- 129
- Houses destroyed
- 85
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 14
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 0.35 m (Okada, Japan).
14 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 25 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 85.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
14Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 14 | 0.35 m Okada | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
14 / 14Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okada · Izu-Oshima, Tokyo | 0.35 m | 12 km | Japan |
| Mera · Chiba | 0.11 m | 53 km | Japan |
| Habu · Izu-Oshima, Tokyo | 0.09 m | 22 km | Japan |
| Minami-Izu · Shizuoka | 0.08 m | 40 km | Japan |
| Miyake Island · Bonin Is, Tokyo | 0.08 m | 85 km | Japan |
| Enoshima · Kanagawa | 0.07 m | 58 km | Japan |
| Oisoko · Kanagawa | 0.07 m | 55 km | Japan |
| Tateyama · Chiba | 0.06 m | 57 km | Japan |
| Yaene, Hachijo Island · Tokyo | 0.06 m | 195 km | Japan |
| Senzu · Izu-Oshima, Tokyo | 0.05 m | 15 km | Japan |
| Ito · Shizuoka | 0.04 m | 15 km | Japan |
| Kushimoto · Wakayama | 0.03 m | 354 km | Japan |
| Shionomisaki · Wakayama | 0.03 m | 357 km | Japan |
| Kurihama · Kanagawa | 0.02 m | 63 km | Japan |
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.