Historical tsunamis · Mar 19, 1971

1971 Chungar tsunami

Peru

The tsunami of Mar 19, 1971 originated near Chungar (Peru).

Key facts

Date
Mar 19, 1971
Cause
Landslide
Maximum documented water height
30.0 m
Deaths
600
Houses destroyed
some (about 51–100)
Damage
moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
Observation records
2
Countries affected
1

Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Landslide.

The highest documented water height was 30.0 m (Chungar, Peru).

2 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.

The database records 600 deaths.

Houses destroyed: some (about 51–100).

Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).

All tsunamis in PeruRecord at NOAA/NCEI ↗

Map of observation sites

2

Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.

Observations by country

CountryObservation recordsMaximum documented water heightDeathsEarliest arrival
Peru230.0 m
Chungar		——

Highest documented water heights

2 / 2

Individual documented observations for this event. Heights come from different measurement types and sources; not every location has a measured height.

Location / stationObserved heightDistance from sourceCountry
Chungar30.00 m1 kmPeru
Chungar5.00 m1 kmPeru

More tsunamis in Peru

  • S. Peru Jun 28, 2024, 5:36 AM UTC · 0.20 m
  • S. Peru Jan 14, 2018, 9:18 AM UTC · 0.15 m
  • S. Peru Sep 25, 2013, 4:42 PM UTC · 0.09 m
  • S. Peru Aug 15, 2007, 11:40 PM UTC · 10.0 m
  • S. Peru Jun 23, 2001, 8:33 PM UTC · 8.80 m
  • S. Peru Nov 12, 1996, 4:59 PM UTC · 0.40 m
  • N. Peru Feb 21, 1996, 12:51 PM UTC · 5.04 m
  • Central Peru Oct 3, 1974, 2:21 PM UTC · 0.92 m

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.