Historical tsunamis · Sep 12, 1979, 5:17 AM UTC
1979 Irian Jaya tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Sep 12, 1979, 5:17 AM UTC originated near Irian Jaya (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 12, 1979, 5:17 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 5 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 2.00 m
- Deaths
- 115
- Injuries
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Houses destroyed
- 1,000
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 5 km.
The highest documented water height was 2.00 m (Biak I., West Irian, Indonesia).
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 115 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 1,000.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 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.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 2 | 2.00 m Biak I., West Irian | 100 | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biak I., West Irian · Papua | 2.00 m | 59 km | Indonesia |
| Yapen Island, Irian Jaya · Papua | — | 6 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.