Historical tsunamis · Oct 19, 1996, 2:44 PM UTC
1996 Kyushu Island tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Oct 19, 1996, 2:44 PM UTC originated near Kyushu Island (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 19, 1996, 2:44 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.7
- Depth
- 22 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.55 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake at a depth of 22 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.55 m (Miyazakiko, Japan).
6 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
6Each 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 | 6 | 0.55 m Miyazakiko | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miyazakiko · Miyazaki | 0.55 m | 2 km | Japan |
| Nichinan, Kyushu · Miyazaki | 0.20 m | 33 km | Japan |
| Murotomisaki · Kochi | 0.14 m | 296 km | Japan |
| Tosa-Shimizu · Kochi | 0.14 m | 172 km | Japan |
| Aburatsu · Miyazaki | 0.09 m | 34 km | Japan |
| Tanegashima · Kagoshima | 0.09 m | 135 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.