Historical tsunamis · May 3, 2006, 3:26 PM UTC

2006 Tonga tsunami

Tonga

The tsunami of May 3, 2006, 3:26 PM UTC originated near Tonga (Tonga).

Key facts

Date
May 3, 2006, 3:26 PM UTC
Cause
Earthquake
Magnitude
M8.0
Depth
55 km
Maximum documented water height
0.27 m
Injuries
1
Damage
limited (under US$ 1 million)
Observation records
55
Countries affected
17

It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake at a depth of 55 km.

The highest documented water height was 0.27 m (Crescent City, Ca, United States).

55 observation sites in 17 countries are recorded.

Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Pago Pago, American Samoa (USA Territory) after 0:48 h.

Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).

All tsunamis in TongaRecord at NOAA/NCEI ↗

Map of observation sites

55

Each 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.

  1. 0:00 hEarthquake (origin) · May 3, 2006, 3:26 PM UTC
  2. 0:33 hTonga · Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) · 0.21 m
  3. 0:48 hUSA Territory · Pago Pago, American Samoa · 0.27 m
  4. 0:57 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.04 m
  5. 1:43 hCook Islands · Rarotonga · 0.07 m
  6. 1:53 hFiji · Suva, King's Wharf · 0.04 m
  7. 2:23 hTuvalu · Funafuti
  8. 3:28 hFrench Polynesia · Papeete, Tahiti · 0.12 m
  9. 3:38 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.23 m
  10. 3:51 hNew Caledonia · Noumea · 0.24 m
  11. 6:13 hUnited States · Kawaihae, Hawaii, Hi · 0.09 m
  12. 10:28 hJapan · Hanasaki · 0.08 m
  13. 12:04 hCanada · Winter Harbor, British Columbia · 0.05 m
  14. 14:19 hCosta Rica · Quepos · 0.08 m

31 places with a documented arrival time

Observations by country

CountryObservation recordsMaximum documented water heightDeathsEarliest arrival
United States230.27 m
Crescent City, Ca		—6:13 h
USA Territory20.27 m
Pago Pago, American Samoa		—0:48 h
New Caledonia10.24 m
Noumea		—3:51 h
Vanuatu10.23 m
Port Vila, Efate Island		—3:38 h
Mexico10.22 m
Ensenada		——
Niue10.21 m
Niue		——
Tonga10.21 m
Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa)		—0:33 h
Australia10.20 m
Spring Bay, Tasmania		——
French Polynesia10.12 m
Papeete, Tahiti		—3:28 h
New Zealand90.08 m
Jackson Bay		——
Japan20.08 m
Hanasaki		—10:28 h
Costa Rica10.08 m
Quepos		—14:19 h
Cook Islands10.07 m
Rarotonga		—1:43 h
Canada60.05 m
Victoria, British Columbia		—12:04 h
Fiji20.04 m
Suva, King's Wharf		—1:53 h
Samoa10.04 m
Apia, Upolu Island		—0:57 h
Tuvalu1——2:23 h

Highest documented water heights

15 / 55

Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.

Location / stationObserved heightDistance from sourceCountry
Crescent City, Ca · Ca0.27 m8,569 kmUnited States
Pago Pago, American Samoa · As0.27 m749 kmUSA Territory
Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi0.25 m4,934 kmUnited States
Noumea0.24 m2,032 kmNew Caledonia
Port Vila, Efate Island0.23 m1,869 kmVanuatu
Ensenada · Baja California0.22 m8,409 kmMexico
Niue0.21 m458 kmNiue
Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa)0.21 m152 kmTonga
Spring Bay, Tasmania0.20 m4,323 kmAustralia
Santa Barbara, Ca · Ca0.18 m8,347 kmUnited States
Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi0.14 m4,919 kmUnited States
Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi · Hi0.14 m4,931 kmUnited States
Point Reyes, Ca · Ca0.13 m8,370 kmUnited States
Papeete, Tahiti · Society Islands0.12 m2,601 kmFrench Polynesia
Santa Monica, Ca · Ca0.10 m8,407 kmUnited States

More tsunamis in Tonga

Tsunamis nearby

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.