Historical tsunamis · Oct 18, 1989, 12:04 AM UTC
1989 N. California tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Oct 18, 1989, 12:04 AM UTC originated near N. California (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 18, 1989, 12:04 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Depth
- 19 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.00 m
- Deaths
- 62
- Injuries
- 3,757
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- US$ 5,600 million
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at a depth of 19 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.00 m (Moss Landing, Ca, United States).
4 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records 62 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at US$ 5,600 million.
Map of observation sites
4Each 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) · Oct 18, 1989, 12:04 AM UTC
- 0:21 hUnited States · Monterey, Ca · 0.20 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 1.00 m Moss Landing, Ca | — | 0:21 h |
 Australia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
4 / 4Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moss Landing, Ca · Ca | 1.00 m | 28 km | United States |
| Monterey, Ca · Ca | 0.20 m | 48 km | United States |
| Fort Denison, Sydney Harbor | — | 11,932 km | Australia |
| Santa Cruz, Ca · Ca | — | 14 km | United States |
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.