Historical tsunamis · Apr 24, 1771
1771 Ryukyu Islands tsunami
Japan
The tsunami of Apr 24, 1771 originated near Ryukyu Islands (Japan).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 24, 1771
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Maximum documented water height
- 85.4 m
- Deaths
- 13,486
- Houses destroyed
- 3,237
- Damage
- extreme (over US$ 25 million)
- Observation records
- 17
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 85.4 m (Miyara, Ishigaki Island, Japan).
17 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 13,486 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 3,237.
Damage is estimated at extreme (over US$ 25 million).
Map of observation sites
17Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 17 | 85.4 m Miyara, Ishigaki Island | 25,427 | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 17Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miyara, Ishigaki Island · Okinawa | 85.40 m | 40 km | Japan |
| Ishigaki Island · Okinawa | 15.00 m | 39 km | Japan |
| Miyako Island · Okinawa | 12.00 m | 131 km | Japan |
| Aragusuku Island · Okinawa | — | 51 km | Japan |
| Hateruma Island · Okinawa | — | 53 km | Japan |
| Hirae · Okinawa | — | 40 km | Japan |
| Irabu Island · Okinawa | — | 131 km | Japan |
| Kerama Island · Okinawa | — | 393 km | Japan |
| Kume Island · Okinawa | — | 358 km | Japan |
| Kuroshima Island · Okinawa | — | 41 km | Japan |
| Maezato · Okinawa | — | 39 km | Japan |
| Miyakoku · Okinawa | — | 129 km | Japan |
| Taketomi Island · Okinawa | — | 44 km | Japan |
| Tarama Island · Okinawa | — | 82 km | Japan |
| Triomote Island · Okinawa | — | 52 km | Japan |
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.