Historical tsunamis · Sep 18, 1994
1994 Papua New Guinea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Sep 18, 1994 originated near Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 18, 1994
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 4
- Houses destroyed
- 30
- Damage
- US$ 86 million
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcanic eruption.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Matupi Island, New Britain, Papua New Guinea).
4 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 4 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 30.
Damage is estimated at US$ 86 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.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 4 | 3.00 m Matupi Island, New Britain | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matupi Island, New Britain · East New Britain | 3.00 m | 3 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Simpson Harbour, New Britain · East New Britain | 3.00 m | 6 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Simpson Harbour, New Britain · East New Britain | 1.20 m | 6 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | — | 4 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.