Historical tsunamis · Dec 5, 2018, 4:18 AM UTC
2018 Loyalty Islands tsunami
New Caledonia
The tsunami of Dec 5, 2018, 4:18 AM UTC originated near Loyalty Islands (New Caledonia).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 5, 2018, 4:18 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Depth
- 10 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Damage
- limited (under US$ 1 million)
- Observation records
- 35
- Countries affected
- 11
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake at a depth of 10 km.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m (Umeij (Oumetch), Aneityum, Vanuatu, Vanuatu).
35 observation sites in 11 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Lenakel, Tanna (Vanuatu) after 0:22 h.
Damage is estimated at limited (under US$ 1 million).
Map of observation sites
35Each 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) · Dec 5, 2018, 4:18 AM UTC
- 0:22 hVanuatu · Lenakel, Tanna · 0.72 m
- 0:23 hNew Caledonia · Lifou Island · 0.29 m
- 3:07 hTonga · Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) · 0.04 m
- 4:03 hUSA Territory · Pago Pago, American Samoa · 0.06 m
- 5:40 hAustralia · Spring Bay, Tasmania · 0.06 m
- 8:14 hUnited States · Kawaihae, Hawaii, Hi · 0.05 m
12 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vanuatu | 10 | 4.00 m Umeij (Oumetch), Aneityum, Vanuatu | — | 0:22 h |
| New Caledonia | 10 | 2.30 m Yate | — | 0:23 h |
 New Zealand | 4 | 0.16 m Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | — | — |
| Wallis and Futuna (French Territory) | 1 | 0.13 m Leava, Futuna Island | — | — |
 Australia | 2 | 0.06 m Spring Bay, Tasmania | — | 5:40 h |
| USA Territory | 1 | 0.06 m Pago Pago, American Samoa | — | 4:03 h |
 United States | 2 | 0.05 m Kawaihae, Hawaii, Hi | — | 8:14 h |
 Fiji | 2 | 0.04 m Lautoka | — | — |
 Samoa | 1 | 0.04 m Apia, Upolu Island | — | — |
 Tonga | 1 | 0.04 m Nukualofa (Nuku'alofa) | — | 3:07 h |
 Tuvalu | 1 | 0.03 m Fongafale | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 35Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umeij (Oumetch), Aneityum, Vanuatu | 4.00 m | 194 km | Vanuatu |
| Yate | 2.30 m | 261 km | New Caledonia |
| Anelghowhat, Aneityum, Vanuatu Isl | 2.00 m | 194 km | Vanuatu |
| Ile Des Pins | 2.00 m | 211 km | New Caledonia |
| Mare Island | 2.00 m | 166 km | New Caledonia |
| Ipikel, Tanna | 1.50 m | 270 km | Vanuatu |
| Lenakel, Tanna | 0.72 m | 268 km | Vanuatu |
| Ouinne | 0.48 m | 283 km | New Caledonia |
| Mare Island | 0.43 m | 166 km | New Caledonia |
| Port Vila, Efate Island | 0.30 m | 479 km | Vanuatu |
| Lifou Island | 0.29 m | 250 km | New Caledonia |
| Thio | 0.23 m | 332 km | New Caledonia |
| Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | 0.16 m | 1,506 km | New Zealand |
| North Cape | 0.14 m | 1,426 km | New Zealand |
| Leava, Futuna Island | 0.13 m | 1,562 km | Wallis and Futuna (French Territory) |
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.