Historical tsunamis · Dec 25, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC
2010 Vanuatu Islands tsunami
Vanuatu
The tsunami of Dec 25, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC originated near Vanuatu Islands (Vanuatu).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 25, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.3
- Depth
- 16 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.10 m
- Injuries
- 4
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 12
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake at a depth of 16 km.
The highest documented water height was 4.10 m (Epak, Tanna, Vanuatu).
12 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Suva, King's Wharf (Fiji) after 2:05 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
12Each 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) · Dec 25, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC
- 0:17 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.15 m
- 2:05 hFiji · Suva, King's Wharf · 0.02 m
- 7:28 hAustralia · Spring Bay, Tasmania · 0.06 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | 9 | 4.10 m Epak, Tanna | — | 0:17 h |
 Australia | 1 | 0.06 m Spring Bay, Tasmania | — | 7:28 h |
 Fiji | 2 | 0.03 m Lautoka | — | 2:05 h |
Highest documented water heights
12 / 12Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epak, Tanna | 4.10 m | 140 km | Vanuatu |
| Lenafa, Tanna | 3.40 m | 141 km | Vanuatu |
| Iwiwon, Tanna | 3.15 m | 141 km | Vanuatu |
| Evergreen, Tanna | 3.05 m | 137 km | Vanuatu |
| Lenami, Tanna | 2.15 m | 140 km | Vanuatu |
| White Grass, Tanna | 2.10 m | 137 km | Vanuatu |
| Lamkail, Tanna | 1.80 m | 137 km | Vanuatu |
| Lenakel, Tanna | 1.70 m | 140 km | Vanuatu |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.15 m | 219 km | Vanuatu |
| Spring Bay, Tasmania | 0.06 m | 3,154 km | Australia |
| Lautoka | 0.03 m | 1,028 km | Fiji |
| Suva, King's Wharf | 0.02 m | 1,117 km | Fiji |
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.