Historical tsunamis · Feb 8, 1987, 6:33 PM UTC
1987 Solomon Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Feb 8, 1987, 6:33 PM UTC originated near Solomon Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 8, 1987, 6:33 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Depth
- 55 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.50 m
- Deaths
- 3
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- US$ 2.6 million
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at a depth of 55 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.50 m (Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi), Papua New Guinea).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 3 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at US$ 2.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 1.50 m Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi) | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi) · Morobe | 1.50 m | 64 km | Papua New Guinea |
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.