Historical tsunamis · Dec 31, 1966, 6:23 PM UTC
1966 Santa Cruz Islands tsunami
Solomon Islands
The tsunami of Dec 31, 1966, 6:23 PM UTC originated near Santa Cruz Islands (Solomon Islands).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 31, 1966, 6:23 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 83 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 2.00 m
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 6
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 83 km.
The highest documented water height was 2.00 m (Vanikolo (Vanikoro), Santa Cruz Is., Solomon Islands).
7 observation sites in 6 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
7Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Islands | 1 | 2.00 m Vanikolo (Vanikoro), Santa Cruz Is. | — | — |
 Fiji | 1 | 0.05 m Suva, King's Wharf | — | — |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.03 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | — |
 United States | 2 | — | — | — |
 Kiribati | 1 | — | — | — |
 Chile | 1 | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanikolo (Vanikoro), Santa Cruz Is. | 2.00 m | 65 km | Solomon Islands |
| Suva, King's Wharf | 0.05 m | 1,461 km | Fiji |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · As | 0.03 m | 2,493 km | USA Territory |
| Christmas Island, Line Islands Classified as doubtful | — | 4,276 km | Kiribati |
| Easter Island · Valparaiso (Isla de Pascua) | — | 8,843 km | Chile |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi Classified as doubtful | — | 5,441 km | United States |
| Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, Ak · Ak Classified as doubtful | — | 7,725 km | United States |
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.