Historical tsunamis · Jul 18, 1979
1979 Lomblen Island [Lembata] tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Jul 18, 1979 originated near Lomblen Island [Lembata] (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 18, 1979
- Cause
- Landslide
- Maximum documented water height
- 9.00 m
- Deaths
- 1,239
- Injuries
- 32
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Landslide.
The highest documented water height was 9.00 m (Lomblen Island (Lembata), Indonesia).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 1,239 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 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.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 1 | 9.00 m Lomblen Island (Lembata) | 1,239 | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lomblen Island (Lembata) · East Nusa Tenggara | 9.00 m | 11 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.