Historical tsunamis · Mar 31, 2002, 6:52 AM UTC
2002 Taiwan tsunami
Taiwan
The tsunami of Mar 31, 2002, 6:52 AM UTC originated near Taiwan (Taiwan).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 31, 2002, 6:52 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.1
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.20 m
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 200
- Houses destroyed
- 100
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.20 m (Hualien, Taiwan).
7 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Yonaguni (Japan) after 0:12 h.
The database records 5 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 100.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
7Each 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) · Mar 31, 2002, 6:52 AM UTC
- 0:12 hJapan · Yonaguni · 0.13 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | 4 | 0.20 m Hualien | — | — |
 Japan | 3 | 0.13 m Yonaguni | — | 0:12 h |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hualien | 0.20 m | 67 km | Taiwan |
| Taichung | 0.20 m | 167 km | Taiwan |
| Taipei | 0.20 m | 127 km | Taiwan |
| Yunlin | 0.20 m | 219 km | Taiwan |
| Yonaguni · Okinawa | 0.13 m | 80 km | Japan |
| Iriomote Island · Okinawa | 0.10 m | 160 km | Japan |
| Ishigakiko · Okinawa | 0.05 m | 202 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.