Historical tsunamis · Dec 26, 2006, 12:26 PM UTC
2006 Taiwan tsunami
Taiwan
The tsunami of Dec 26, 2006, 12:26 PM UTC originated near Taiwan (Taiwan).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 26, 2006, 12:26 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.12 m
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 40
- Houses destroyed
- some (about 51–100)
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.12 m (Dongkung (Donggang), Taiwan).
7 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 2 deaths.
Houses destroyed: some (about 51–100).
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
7Each 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) · Dec 26, 2006, 12:26 PM UTC
- 0:16 hTaiwan · Houbihu · 0.30 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vietnam | 1 | 0.80 m Qui Nohn | — | — |
| Taiwan | 3 | 0.30 m Houbihu | — | 0:16 h |
 China | 3 | 0.07 m Hong Kong, Tai Miu Wan | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qui Nohn Classified as doubtful | 0.80 m | 1,493 km | Vietnam |
| Houbihu | 0.30 m | 27 km | Taiwan |
| Dongkung (Donggang) | 0.12 m | 74 km | Taiwan |
| Kaohsiung | 0.08 m | 94 km | Taiwan |
| Hong Kong, Tai Miu Wan | 0.07 m | 649 km | China |
| Chongwu, Fujian Province | 0.05 m | 379 km | China |
| Dongshan, Fujian Province | 0.05 m | 383 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.