Historical tsunamis · Mar 4, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC
2021 S of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands tsunami
New Zealand
The tsunami of Mar 4, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC originated near S of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands (New Zealand).
Key facts
- Date
- Mar 4, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.4
- Depth
- 55 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.31 m
- Observation records
- 11
- Countries affected
- 4
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at a depth of 55 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.31 m (Raoul Island, Fishing Rock, New Zealand).
11 observation sites in 4 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) after 6:03 h.
Map of observation sites
11Each 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) · Mar 4, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC
- 0:00 hNew Zealand · Raoul Island, Boat Cove · 0.17 m
- 6:03 hFrench Polynesia · Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands · 0.06 m
4 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 5 | 0.31 m Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | — | 0:00 h |
 Australia | 1 | 0.17 m Norfolk Island | — | — |
 Ecuador | 1 | 0.15 m Santa Cruz Island | — | — |
 French Polynesia | 4 | 0.06 m Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands | — | 6:03 h |
Highest documented water heights
11 / 11Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raoul Island, Fishing Rock | 0.31 m | 40 km | New Zealand |
| Norfolk Island | 0.17 m | 1,380 km | Australia |
| Raoul Island, Boat Cove | 0.17 m | 37 km | New Zealand |
| Santa Cruz Island · Galapagos Islands | 0.15 m | 9,734 km | Ecuador |
| Lottin Point | 0.09 m | 955 km | New Zealand |
| Korotiti Bay, Great Barrier Island | 0.08 m | 959 km | New Zealand |
| Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands · Marquesas Islands | 0.06 m | 4,549 km | French Polynesia |
| North Cape | 0.04 m | 1,011 km | New Zealand |
| Hiva Oa Island, Marquesas Islands · Marquesas Islands | 0.03 m | 4,589 km | French Polynesia |
| Rikitea (Gambier), Mangareva Island | 0.02 m | 4,315 km | French Polynesia |
| Papeete, Tahiti · Society Islands | 0.01 m | 3,169 km | French Polynesia |
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.