Historical tsunamis · Apr 1, 2007, 8:39 PM UTC
2007 Solomon Islands tsunami
Solomon Islands
The tsunami of Apr 1, 2007, 8:39 PM UTC originated near Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 1, 2007, 8:39 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.1
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 12.1 m
- Deaths
- 52
- Houses destroyed
- 2,500
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 248
- Countries affected
- 12
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 12.1 m (Tapurai, Simbo Island, Solomon Islands).
248 observation sites in 12 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Port Vila, Efate Island (Vanuatu) after 2:47 h.
The database records 52 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 2,500.
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
248Each 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) · Apr 1, 2007, 8:39 PM UTC
- 0:45 hSolomon Islands · Honiara, Guadalcanal · 0.21 m
- 2:47 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.12 m
- 3:37 hPapua New Guinea · Manus Island, Admiralty Islands · 0.09 m
- 4:55 hAustralia · Cape Ferguson · 0.11 m
- 5:27 hFiji · Suva, King's Wharf · 0.04 m
- 8:00 hNew Zealand · Anawhata · 0.12 m
- 9:35 hUnited States · Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · 0.07 m
16 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Islands | 191 | 12.1 m Tapurai, Simbo Island | 50 | 0:45 h |
 Papua New Guinea | 12 | 3.50 m Unumatana, Woodlark (Muyua) Island | — | 3:37 h |
 New Caledonia | 18 | 2.00 m Mare Island 75 | — | — |
 New Zealand | 9 | 0.51 m Charleston | — | 8:00 h |
 United States | 7 | 0.13 m Kahului, Maui, Hi | — | 9:35 h |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.12 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 2:47 h |
 Australia | 3 | 0.11 m Cape Ferguson | — | 4:55 h |
| USA Territory | 2 | 0.08 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | — |
 Tonga | 1 | 0.07 m Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) | — | — |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 2 | 0.04 m Kwajalein, Marshall Islands | — | — |
 Fiji | 1 | 0.04 m Suva, King's Wharf | — | 5:27 h |
| Micronesia, Fed. States Of | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 248Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 12.10 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 9.55 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 9.50 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tanamalo, Simbo Island | 8.64 m | 59 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 8.55 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 8.45 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 8.25 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 7.70 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 7.40 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 6.90 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Lale, Ranongga Island | 6.80 m | 60 km | Solomon Islands |
| Lale, Ranongga Island | 6.59 m | 60 km | Solomon Islands |
| Tapurai, Simbo Island | 6.50 m | 61 km | Solomon Islands |
| Lale, Ranongga Island | 6.39 m | 60 km | Solomon Islands |
| New Manda, Ghizo Island | 6.34 m | 46 km | Solomon Islands |
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.