Historical tsunamis · Jan 2, 2002, 5:22 PM UTC
2002 Vanuatu Islands tsunami
Vanuatu
The tsunami of Jan 2, 2002, 5:22 PM UTC originated near Vanuatu Islands (Vanuatu).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 2, 2002, 5:22 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.2
- Depth
- 21 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.00 m
- Injuries
- some (about 51–100)
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake at a depth of 21 km.
The highest documented water height was 3.00 m (Port Vila, Efate Island, Vanuatu).
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
2Each 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) · Jan 2, 2002, 5:22 PM UTC
- 0:15 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.40 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | 2 | 3.00 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 0:15 h |
Highest documented water heights
2 / 2Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 3.00 m | 51 km | Vanuatu |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.40 m | 51 km | Vanuatu |
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.