Historical tsunamis · May 25, 1751, 5:30 AM UTC
1751 Central Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of May 25, 1751, 5:30 AM UTC originated near Central Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- May 25, 1751, 5:30 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.5
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.50 m
- Deaths
- 65
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 3.50 m (Old Concepcion (Now Penco), Chile).
7 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 65 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 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.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 3 | 3.50 m Old Concepcion (Now Penco) | 65 | — |
 Japan | 3 | 2.00 m Kesennuma | — | — |
 Peru | 1 | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Concepcion (Now Penco) · Biobio | 3.50 m | 30 km | Chile |
| Kesennuma · Miyagi | 2.00 m | 16,996 km | Japan |
| Ojika Peninsula · Miyagi | 2.00 m | 16,992 km | Japan |
| Otsuchi · Iwate | 2.00 m | 16,972 km | Japan |
| Callao · Callao | — | 2,795 km | Peru |
| Juan Fernandez Islands · Valparaiso (Juan Fernandez) | — | 650 km | Chile |
| Valparaiso · Valparaiso | — | 457 km | Chile |
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.