Historical tsunamis · Nov 16, 2000, 4:54 AM UTC
2000 Bismarck Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Nov 16, 2000, 4:54 AM UTC originated near Bismarck Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Nov 16, 2000, 4:54 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.0
- Depth
- 17 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Deaths
- 2
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 10
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake at a depth of 17 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Buka Island, Papua New Guinea).
10 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 2 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
10Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 7 | 3.00 m Buka Island | — | — |
 Solomon Islands | 2 | 1.00 m Gizo Island | — | — |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.06 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
10 / 10Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buka Island | 3.00 m | 290 km | Papua New Guinea |
| New Ireland | 3.00 m | 83 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Torokina, Bougainville Island · Bougainville | 3.00 m | 390 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Gizo Island | 1.00 m | 669 km | Solomon Islands |
| Kokopo, New Britain · East New Britain | 1.00 m | 39 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Noro | 1.00 m | 715 km | Solomon Islands |
| Rabaul, New Britain · East New Britain | 1.00 m | 29 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Trobriand Islands (Kiriwina Is) · Milne Bay | 1.00 m | 539 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.06 m | 2,313 km | Vanuatu |
| Duke of York Islands | — | 23 km | Papua New Guinea |
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.