Historical tsunamis · Dec 12, 1979, 7:59 AM UTC
1979 Colombia: Off Shore, Pacific Ocean tsunami
Colombia
The tsunami of Dec 12, 1979, 7:59 AM UTC originated near Colombia: Off Shore, Pacific Ocean (Colombia).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 12, 1979, 7:59 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.1
- Depth
- 23 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 6.00 m
- Deaths
- 600
- Injuries
- 20,000
- Houses destroyed
- 10,000
- Damage
- US$ 8.0 million
- Observation records
- 55
- Countries affected
- 9
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake at a depth of 23 km.
The highest documented water height was 6.00 m (San Juan de la Costa, Colombia).
55 observation sites in 9 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Esmeraldas (Ecuador) after 0:05 h.
The database records 600 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 10,000.
Damage is estimated at US$ 8.0 million.
Map of observation sites
55Each 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) · Dec 12, 1979, 7:59 AM UTC
- 0:03 hColombia · San Juan de la Costa · 6.00 m
- 0:05 hEcuador · Esmeraldas
- 3:18 hEl Salvador · Acajutla
- 12:00 hUnited States · Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · 0.40 m
7 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 12 | 6.00 m San Juan de la Costa | 36 | 0:03 h |
 Ecuador | 2 | 0.80 m Santa Cruz Island | — | 0:05 h |
 United States | 4 | 0.40 m Hilo, Hawaii, Hi | — | 12:00 h |
 Mexico | 2 | 0.30 m Acapulco | — | — |
 Japan | 31 | 0.25 m Tokachiko | — | — |
 French Polynesia | 1 | 0.16 m Papeete, Tahiti | — | — |
 Costa Rica | 1 | 0.14 m Puntarenas | — | — |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.10 m Johnston Island | — | — |
 El Salvador | 1 | — | — | 3:18 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 55Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan de la Costa · Narino | 6.00 m | 114 km | Colombia |
| Isla Gorgona · Cauca | 5.00 m | 198 km | Colombia |
| Tumaco · Narino | 3.00 m | 68 km | Colombia |
| Vuelta Larga · Cauca | 3.00 m | 195 km | Colombia |
| El Charco · Cauca | 2.00 m | 220 km | Colombia |
| Guapi · Cauca | 2.00 m | 192 km | Colombia |
| Iscuande · Narino | 2.00 m | 175 km | Colombia |
| Limones · Cauca | 2.00 m | 202 km | Colombia |
| El Barro · Cauca | 1.00 m | 210 km | Colombia |
| Timbiqui · Cauca | 1.00 m | 227 km | Colombia |
| Santa Cruz Island · Galapagos Islands | 0.80 m | 1,255 km | Ecuador |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.40 m | 8,469 km | United States |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | 0.34 m | 8,624 km | United States |
| Acapulco · Guerrero | 0.30 m | 2,822 km | Mexico |
| Manzanillo · Colima | 0.25 m | 3,348 km | Mexico |
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.