Historical tsunamis · Jan 22, 2017, 4:30 AM UTC
2017 Bougainville Island tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Jan 22, 2017, 4:30 AM UTC originated near Bougainville Island (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 22, 2017, 4:30 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 135 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.04 m
- Deaths
- 3
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 135 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.04 m (Tarekukure, Taro Island, Solomon Islands).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Tarekukure, Taro Island (Solomon Islands) after 0:10 h.
The database records 3 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
1Each 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 22, 2017, 4:30 AM UTC
- 0:10 hSolomon Islands · Tarekukure, Taro Island · 0.04 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Solomon Islands | 1 | 0.04 m Tarekukure, Taro Island | — | 0:10 h |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarekukure, Taro Island | 0.04 m | 145 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.