Historical tsunamis · Apr 12, 2014, 8:14 PM UTC
2014 Solomon Islands tsunami
Solomon Islands
The tsunami of Apr 12, 2014, 8:14 PM UTC originated near Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 12, 2014, 8:14 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Depth
- 23 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.05 m
- Observation records
- 8
- Countries affected
- 4
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at a depth of 23 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.05 m (Hienghene, New Caledonia).
8 observation sites in 4 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Luganville (Vanuatu) after 1:21 h.
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) · Apr 12, 2014, 8:14 PM UTC
- 0:45 hSolomon Islands · Lata Wharf, Nendo Is, Santa Cruz Is · 0.03 m
- 1:21 hVanuatu · Luganville · 0.03 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 New Caledonia | 2 | 0.05 m Hienghene | — | — |
| Solomon Islands | 4 | 0.03 m Lata Wharf, Nendo Is, Santa Cruz Is | — | 0:45 h |
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.03 m Luganville | — | 1:21 h |
 Papua New Guinea | 1 | 0.02 m D55012 Bpr, Coral Sea | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hienghene | 0.05 m | 1,085 km | New Caledonia |
| Ouinne | 0.05 m | 1,280 km | New Caledonia |
| Lata Wharf, Nendo Is, Santa Cruz Is | 0.03 m | 404 km | Solomon Islands |
| Luganville | 0.03 m | 720 km | Vanuatu |
| D55012 Bpr, Coral Sea | 0.02 m | 638 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Honiara, Guadalcanal | — | 315 km | Solomon Islands |
| Kirakira, San Cristobal Island | — | 94 km | Solomon Islands |
| Santa Ana Island | — | 59 km | Solomon Islands |
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.