Historical tsunamis · Jul 15, 2009, 9:22 AM UTC
2009 Off West Coast of South Island tsunami
New Zealand
The tsunami of Jul 15, 2009, 9:22 AM UTC originated near Off West Coast of South Island (New Zealand).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 15, 2009, 9:22 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 12 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.47 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 10
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 12 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.47 m (Jackson Bay, New Zealand).
10 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Spring Bay, Tasmania (Australia) after 2:17 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
10Each 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) · Jul 15, 2009, 9:22 AM UTC
- 0:28 hNew Zealand · D55015 Bpr, Tasman Sea · 0.05 m
- 2:17 hAustralia · Spring Bay, Tasmania · 0.11 m
6 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | 3 | 0.55 m Southport Jetty, Tasmania | — | 2:17 h |
| New Zealand | 6 | 0.47 m Jackson Bay | — | 0:28 h |
 United States | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
10 / 10Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southport Jetty, Tasmania | 0.55 m | 1,572 km | Australia |
| Jackson Bay | 0.47 m | 257 km | New Zealand |
| Charleston | 0.25 m | 580 km | New Zealand |
| Port Kembla | 0.14 m | 1,824 km | Australia |
| Dog Island | 0.12 m | 174 km | New Zealand |
| Spring Bay, Tasmania | 0.11 m | 1,529 km | Australia |
| D55015 Bpr, Tasman Sea | 0.05 m | 479 km | New Zealand |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | — | 8,222 km | United States |
| Owenga, Chatham Island | — | 1,359 km | New Zealand |
| Queen's Wharf | — | 829 km | New Zealand |
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.