Historical tsunamis · Jan 23, 2018, 9:31 AM UTC
2018 Kodiak Island, Ak tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Jan 23, 2018, 9:31 AM UTC originated near Kodiak Island, Ak (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Jan 23, 2018, 9:31 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.9
- Depth
- 14 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.25 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 64
- Countries affected
- 5
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 14 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.25 m (Crescent City, Ca, United States).
64 observation sites in 5 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Langara Island, British Columbia (Canada) after 1:49 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
64Each 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 23, 2018, 9:31 AM UTC
- 1:07 hUnited States · Old Harbor, Kodiak, Ak · 0.15 m
- 1:49 hCanada · Langara Island, British Columbia · 0.13 m
- 5:01 hUSA Territory · Midway Islands · 0.06 m
- 9:20 hFrench Polynesia · Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands · 0.24 m
- 10:22 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 0.04 m
61 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 41 | 0.25 m Crescent City, Ca | — | 1:07 h |
 French Polynesia | 2 | 0.24 m Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands | — | 9:20 h |
 Canada | 19 | 0.13 m Langara Island, British Columbia | — | 1:49 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.06 m Midway Islands | — | 5:01 h |
 Samoa | 1 | 0.04 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | 10:22 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 64Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent City, Ca · Ca | 0.25 m | 2,399 km | United States |
| Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands · Marquesas Islands | 0.24 m | 7,244 km | French Polynesia |
| Kodiak Island, Ak · Ak | 0.23 m | 280 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 0.18 m | 4,056 km | United States |
| Port Orford, Or · Or | 0.16 m | 2,299 km | United States |
| Port San Luis, Ca · Ca | 0.16 m | 3,162 km | United States |
| Arena Cove, Ca · Ca | 0.15 m | 2,671 km | United States |
| Old Harbor, Kodiak, Ak · Ak | 0.15 m | 287 km | United States |
| Makapuu Point, Oahu, Hi · Hi | 0.14 m | 3,915 km | United States |
| Yakutat, Ak · Ak | 0.14 m | 685 km | United States |
| Hanalei, Kauai, Hi · Hi | 0.13 m | 3,847 km | United States |
| Langara Island, British Columbia · Bc | 0.13 m | 1,045 km | Canada |
| D46409 Bpr, SE of Kodiak, Ak · Ak | 0.12 m | 89 km | United States |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | 0.12 m | 3,945 km | United States |
| Point Reyes, Ca · Ca | 0.12 m | 2,791 km | United States |
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.