Historical tsunamis · Jan 5, 2013, 8:58 AM UTC
2013 SE. Alaska, Ak tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Jan 5, 2013, 8:58 AM UTC originated near SE. Alaska, Ak (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 5, 2013, 8:58 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Depth
- 9 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 1.50 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 8
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake at a depth of 9 km.
The highest documented water height was 1.50 m (Deer Lake, Ak, United States).
8 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Henslung Cove, British Columbia (Canada) after 0:30 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
8Each 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) · Jan 5, 2013, 8:58 AM UTC
- 0:22 hUnited States · Port Alexander, Ak · 0.14 m
- 0:30 hCanada · Henslung Cove, British Columbia · 0.12 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 7 | 1.50 m Deer Lake, Ak | — | 0:22 h |
 Canada | 1 | 0.12 m Henslung Cove, British Columbia | — | 0:30 h |
Highest documented water heights
8 / 8Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Lake, Ak · Ak | 1.50 m | 144 km | United States |
| Port Alexander, Ak · Ak | 0.14 m | 114 km | United States |
| Henslung Cove, British Columbia · Bc | 0.12 m | 166 km | Canada |
| Sitka, Ak · Ak | 0.07 m | 205 km | United States |
| Craig, Ak · Ak | 0.02 m | 113 km | United States |
| Elfin Cove, Ak · Ak | 0.02 m | 344 km | United States |
| Lake Betty, Ak · Ak | — | 144 km | United States |
| Lake Dorothy, Ak · Ak | — | 339 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.