Historical tsunamis · Dec 2, 1611
1611 Sanriku tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Dec 2, 1611 originated near Sanriku (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 2, 1611
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.1
- Maximum documented water height
- 25.0 m
- Deaths
- 5,000
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 11
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 25.0 m (Koyadori, Japan).
11 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 5,000 deaths.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 11 | 25.0 m Koyadori | 4,783 | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koyadori · Iwate | 25.00 m | 220 km | Japan |
| Taro · Iwate | 25.00 m | 234 km | Japan |
| Yamada · Iwate | 25.00 m | 226 km | Japan |
| Miyako · Iwate | 9.00 m | 229 km | Japan |
| Okirai · Iwate | 9.00 m | 233 km | Japan |
| Iwanuma · Miyagi | 7.00 m | 331 km | Japan |
| Ryori · Iwate | 7.00 m | 228 km | Japan |
| Nakamura · Fukushima | 6.00 m | 334 km | Japan |
| Date Dominion · Hokkaido | — | 492 km | Japan |
| Sendai · Miyagi | — | 313 km | Japan |
| Tsugoru Peninsula · Aomori | — | 381 km | Japan |
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.