Historical tsunamis · Aug 16, 1995, 10:27 AM UTC
1995 Solomon Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Aug 16, 1995, 10:27 AM UTC originated near Solomon Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 16, 1995, 10:27 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.7
- Depth
- 30 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.28 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 3
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake at a depth of 30 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.28 m (Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea).
3 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Port Vila, Efate Island (Vanuatu) after 4:33 h.
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.
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) · Aug 16, 1995, 10:27 AM UTC
- 4:33 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.07 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 0.28 m Rabaul, New Britain | — | — |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.07 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 4:33 h |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 1 | 0.06 m Kwajalein, Marshall Islands | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | 0.28 m | 282 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.07 m | 2,028 km | Vanuatu |
| Kwajalein, Marshall Islands · Mh | 0.06 m | 2,201 km | Marshall Islands, Rep. Of |
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.