Historical tsunamis · Jun 15, 2005, 2:50 AM UTC
2005 N. California tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Jun 15, 2005, 2:50 AM UTC originated near N. California (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Jun 15, 2005, 2:50 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.2
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.10 m
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.10 m (Crescent City, Ca, United States).
5 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia (Canada) after 2:00 h.
Map of observation sites
5Each 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) · Jun 15, 2005, 2:50 AM UTC
- 0:45 hUnited States · Crescent City, Ca · 0.10 m
- 2:00 hCanada · Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · 0.02 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 0.10 m Crescent City, Ca | — | 0:45 h |
 Canada | 2 | 0.02 m Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia | — | 2:00 h |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent City, Ca · Ca | 0.10 m | 157 km | United States |
| Arena Cove, Ca · Ca | 0.03 m | 328 km | United States |
| North Spit, Humboldt Bay, Ca · Ca | 0.02 m | 159 km | United States |
| Tofino (Clayoquot),British Columbia · Bc | 0.02 m | 873 km | Canada |
| Bamfield, British Columbia · Bc | 0.01 m | 840 km | Canada |
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.