Historical tsunamis · Jul 12, 2003
2003 Soufriere Hills Volcano tsunami
Montserrat
The tsunami of Jul 12, 2003 originated near Soufriere Hills Volcano (Montserrat).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 12, 2003
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 2
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcanic eruption.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m (Farm Bay, Montserrat).
5 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montserrat | 1 | 4.00 m Farm Bay | — | — |
| Guadeloupe (French Territory) | 4 | 1.00 m Deshaies, Basse-Terre Island | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Bay | 4.00 m | 3 km | Montserrat |
| Deshaies, Basse-Terre Island | 1.00 m | 62 km | Guadeloupe (French Territory) |
| Vieux Habitants | 0.60 m | 87 km | Guadeloupe (French Territory) |
| Malendure | 0.46 m | 75 km | Guadeloupe (French Territory) |
| Plage de la Perle | — | 61 km | Guadeloupe (French Territory) |
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.