Historical tsunamis · May 8, 1939, 1:46 AM UTC
1939 Azores tsunami
Portugal
The tsunami of May 8, 1939, 1:46 AM UTC originated near Azores (Portugal).
Key facts
- Date
- May 8, 1939, 1:46 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.7
- Depth
- 16 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.20 m
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake at a depth of 16 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.20 m (Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores (Portugal)).
2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Ponta Delgada (Azores (Portugal)) after 0:38 h.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 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.
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) · May 8, 1939, 1:46 AM UTC
- 0:38 hAzores (Portugal) · Ponta Delgada · 0.08 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azores (Portugal) | 2 | 0.20 m Angra do Heroismo, Terceira | — | 0:38 h |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angra do Heroismo, Terceira | 0.20 m | 300 km | Azores (Portugal) |
| Ponta Delgada | 0.08 m | 131 km | Azores (Portugal) |
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.