Historical tsunamis · May 16, 1995, 8:12 PM UTC
1995 Loyalty Islands tsunami
New Caledonia
The tsunami of May 16, 1995, 8:12 PM UTC originated near Loyalty Islands (New Caledonia).
Key facts
- Date
- May 16, 1995, 8:12 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.7
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 8.00 m
- Observation records
- 11
- Countries affected
- 8
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake at a depth of 20 km.
The highest documented water height was 8.00 m (Aneityum, Vanuatu Islands, Vanuatu).
11 observation sites in 8 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
11Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vanuatu | 3 | 8.00 m Aneityum, Vanuatu Islands | — | — |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.05 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | — |
 Fiji | 2 | 0.03 m Lautoka | — | — |
 Samoa | 1 | 0.02 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | — |
 Tonga | 1 | 0.02 m Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) | — | — |
 Cook Islands | 1 | 0.02 m Rarotonga | — | — |
| New Caledonia | 1 | — | — | — |
 Australia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
11 / 11Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aneityum, Vanuatu Islands | 8.00 m | 311 km | Vanuatu |
| Erakor Island | 1.50 m | 603 km | Vanuatu |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.20 m | 605 km | Vanuatu |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As | 0.05 m | 2,261 km | USA Territory |
| Lautoka | 0.03 m | 988 km | Fiji |
| Suva, King's Wharf | 0.03 m | 1,039 km | Fiji |
| Apia, Upolu Island | 0.02 m | 2,185 km | Samoa |
| Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) | 0.02 m | 1,553 km | Tonga |
| Rarotonga | 0.02 m | 3,129 km | Cook Islands |
| Mare Island | — | 264 km | New Caledonia |
| Sydney | — | 2,182 km | Australia |
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.