Historical tsunamis · Apr 21, 1995, 12:34 AM UTC
1995 Samar Island tsunami
Philippines
The tsunami of Apr 21, 1995, 12:34 AM UTC originated near Samar Island (Philippines).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 21, 1995, 12:34 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.2
- Depth
- 21 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 2.00 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake at a depth of 21 km.
The highest documented water height was 2.00 m (San Julian, Samar Island, Philippines).
3 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
3Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | 3 | 2.00 m San Julian, Samar Island | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
3 / 3Individual 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 Julian, Samar Island | 2.00 m | 40 km | Philippines |
| Legaspi | 0.05 m | 233 km | Philippines |
| Dolores, Samar Island | — | 11 km | Philippines |
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.