Historical tsunamis · Aug 16, 2009, 7:38 AM UTC
2009 Sumatra tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Aug 16, 2009, 7:38 AM UTC originated near Sumatra (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 16, 2009, 7:38 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.7
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.18 m
- Injuries
- 9
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake at a depth of 20 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.18 m (Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Map of observation sites
1Each 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) · Aug 16, 2009, 7:38 AM UTC
- 0:37 hIndonesia · Padang, Sumatra · 0.18 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 1 | 0.18 m Padang, Sumatra | — | 0:37 h |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padang, Sumatra · West Sumatra | 0.18 m | 112 km | Indonesia |
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.