Historical tsunamis · Jul 6, 2011, 7:03 PM UTC
2011 Kermadec Islands tsunami
New Zealand
The tsunami of Jul 6, 2011, 7:03 PM UTC originated near Kermadec Islands (New Zealand).
Key facts
- Date
- Jul 6, 2011, 7:03 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 17 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.20 m
- Observation records
- 24
- Countries affected
- 12
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 17 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.20 m (Raoul Island, Fishing Rock, New Zealand).
24 observation sites in 12 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Suva, King's Wharf (Fiji) after 2:24 h.
Map of observation sites
24Each 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 6, 2011, 7:03 PM UTC
- 0:09 hNew Zealand · Raoul Island, Boat Cove · 0.99 m
- 2:24 hFiji · Suva, King's Wharf · 0.04 m
- 2:28 hCook Islands · Rarotonga · 0.17 m
- 3:38 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.07 m
- 3:50 hFrench Polynesia · Papeete, Tahiti · 0.06 m
- 7:04 hUnited States · Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi · 0.09 m
- 12:12 hChile · Corral · 0.07 m
- 14:55 hPhilippines · Manila · 0.05 m
10 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 4 | 1.20 m Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | — | 0:09 h |
 Cook Islands | 2 | 0.17 m Rarotonga | — | 2:28 h |
 Peru | 2 | 0.15 m Callao la Punta | — | — |
 Ecuador | 2 | 0.15 m Santa Cruz Island | — | — |
 Chile | 2 | 0.14 m Coquimbo | — | 12:12 h |
 New Caledonia | 1 | 0.10 m Ouinne | — | — |
 United States | 4 | 0.09 m Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi | — | 7:04 h |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.07 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 3:38 h |
 French Polynesia | 2 | 0.06 m Huahine | — | 3:50 h |
 Philippines | 2 | 0.05 m Manila | — | 14:55 h |
 Fiji | 1 | 0.04 m Suva, King's Wharf | — | 2:24 h |
| Marshall Islands, Rep. Of | 1 | 0.02 m Kwajalein, Marshall Islands | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 24Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | 1.20 m | 155 km | New Zealand |
| Raoul Island, Boat Cove | 0.99 m | 154 km | New Zealand |
| Korotiti Bay, Great Barrier Island | 0.24 m | 1,062 km | New Zealand |
| Lottin Point | 0.22 m | 1,024 km | New Zealand |
| Rarotonga | 0.17 m | 1,902 km | Cook Islands |
| Callao la Punta · Callao | 0.15 m | 10,228 km | Peru |
| Santa Cruz Island · Galapagos Islands | 0.15 m | 9,589 km | Ecuador |
| Coquimbo · Coquimbo | 0.14 m | 9,701 km | Chile |
| Ouinne | 0.10 m | 1,895 km | New Caledonia |
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hi · Hi | 0.09 m | 5,982 km | United States |
| Corral · Los Rios | 0.07 m | 8,958 km | Chile |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.07 m | 2,035 km | Vanuatu |
| Arena Cove, Ca · Ca | 0.06 m | 9,339 km | United States |
| Baltra Island · Galapagos Islands | 0.06 m | 9,609 km | Ecuador |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.06 m | 5,965 km | United States |
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.