Historical tsunamis · Jan 3, 2017, 9:52 PM UTC
2017 Fiji Islands tsunami
Fiji
The tsunami of Jan 3, 2017, 9:52 PM UTC originated near Fiji Islands (Fiji).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 3, 2017, 9:52 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9
- Depth
- 12 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.07 m
- Observation records
- 2
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at a depth of 12 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.07 m (Lenakel, Tanna, Vanuatu).
2 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Lenakel, Tanna (Vanuatu) after 1:24 h.
Map of observation sites
2Each 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 3, 2017, 9:52 PM UTC
- 1:24 hVanuatu · Lenakel, Tanna · 0.07 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vanuatu | 1 | 0.07 m Lenakel, Tanna | — | 1:24 h |
| Fiji | 1 | 0.01 m Suva, King's Wharf | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
2 / 2Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenakel, Tanna | 0.07 m | 713 km | Vanuatu |
| Suva, King's Wharf | 0.01 m | 285 km | Fiji |
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.