Historical tsunamis · Mar 5, 1987, 9:17 AM UTC
1987 Northern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of Mar 5, 1987, 9:17 AM UTC originated near Northern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 5, 1987, 9:17 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 62 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.20 m
- Deaths
- 1
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 62 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.20 m.
6 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 1 deaths.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
6Each 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) · Mar 5, 1987, 9:17 AM UTC
- 0:25 hChile · Caldera · 0.11 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 4 | 0.11 m Caldera | — | 0:25 h |
 United States | 1 | 0.10 m Hilo, Hawaii, Hi | — | — |
 Mexico | 1 | 0.03 m Socorro Island | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caldera · Atacama | 0.11 m | 304 km | Chile |
| Coquimbo · Coquimbo | 0.10 m | 627 km | Chile |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.10 m | 10,408 km | United States |
| Arica · Arica Y Parinacota | 0.09 m | 656 km | Chile |
| Valparaiso · Valparaiso | 0.07 m | 969 km | Chile |
| Socorro Island | 0.03 m | 6,511 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.