Historical tsunamis · Apr 16, 2016, 11:58 PM UTC
2016 Off Coast tsunami
Ecuador
The tsunami of Apr 16, 2016, 11:58 PM UTC originated near Off Coast (Ecuador).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 16, 2016, 11:58 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.8
- Depth
- 21 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.60 m
- Deaths
- 663
- Injuries
- 6,274
- Houses destroyed
- 6,998
- Damage
- US$ 3,300 million
- Observation records
- 7
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake at a depth of 21 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.60 m (Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador).
7 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Quepos (Costa Rica) after 2:08 h.
The database records 663 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 6,998.
Damage is estimated at US$ 3,300 million.
Map of observation sites
7Each 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 16, 2016, 11:58 PM UTC
- 0:05 hEcuador · D32067 Bpr, Ecuador · 0.25 m
- 2:08 hCosta Rica · Quepos · 0.09 m
3 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 6 | 0.60 m Bahia Caraquez | — | 0:05 h |
 Costa Rica | 1 | 0.09 m Quepos | — | 2:08 h |
Highest documented water heights
7 / 7Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahia Caraquez · Manabi | 0.60 m | 123 km | Ecuador |
| Esmeraldas · Esmeraldas | 0.50 m | 73 km | Ecuador |
| D32067 Bpr, Ecuador · Esmeraldas | 0.25 m | 152 km | Ecuador |
| La Libertad · Santa Elena | 0.14 m | 308 km | Ecuador |
| Santa Cruz Island · Galapagos Islands | 0.10 m | 1,163 km | Ecuador |
| Quepos | 0.09 m | 1,105 km | Costa Rica |
| Manta (Jaramijo) · Manabi | — | 170 km | Ecuador |
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.