Historical tsunamis · Dec 29, 1604
1604 South China Sea tsunami
China
The tsunami of Dec 29, 1604 originated near South China Sea (China).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 29, 1604
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.0
- Maximum documented water height
- —
- Injuries
- few (up to about 50)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake.
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
2Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 2 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
2 / 2Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quanzhou, Fujian Province | — | 93 km | China |
| Shaxian, Fujian Province | — | 231 km | China |
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.