Historical tsunamis · Aug 20, 2011, 4:55 PM UTC
2011 Vanuatu Islands tsunami
Vanuatu
The tsunami of Aug 20, 2011, 4:55 PM UTC originated near Vanuatu Islands (Vanuatu).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 20, 2011, 4:55 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.1
- Depth
- 32 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.19 m
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at a depth of 32 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.19 m (Port Vila, Efate Island, Vanuatu).
4 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Ouinne (New Caledonia) after 0:51 h.
Map of observation sites
4Each 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 20, 2011, 4:55 PM UTC
- 0:13 hVanuatu · Port Vila, Efate Island · 0.19 m
- 0:51 hNew Caledonia · Ouinne · 0.14 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | 2 | 0.19 m Port Vila, Efate Island | — | 0:13 h |
 New Caledonia | 2 | 0.14 m Ouinne | — | 0:51 h |
Highest documented water heights
4 / 4Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.19 m | 70 km | Vanuatu |
| Ouinne | 0.14 m | 429 km | New Caledonia |
| Hienghene | 0.08 m | 423 km | New Caledonia |
| Luganville | 0.07 m | 331 km | Vanuatu |
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.