Historical tsunamis · Aug 4, 1856
1856 Bay of Honduras tsunami
Honduras
The tsunami of Aug 4, 1856 originated near Bay of Honduras (Honduras).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 4, 1856
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Maximum documented water height
- 5.00 m
- Deaths
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 5.00 m (Omoa, Honduras).
5 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records many (about 101–1,000) deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
5Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras | 5 | 5.00 m Omoa | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
5 / 5Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omoa | 5.00 m | 26 km | Honduras |
| Atlantida | — | 113 km | Honduras |
| Criba Lagoon | — | 324 km | Honduras |
| Puerto Cortes | — | 20 km | Honduras |
| Trujillo | — | 214 km | Honduras |
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.