Historical tsunamis · Sep 17, 1994, 4:51 PM UTC
1994 Rabaul Harbor tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Sep 17, 1994, 4:51 PM UTC originated near Rabaul Harbor (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Sep 17, 1994, 4:51 PM UTC
- Cause
- Volcano and earthquake
- Magnitude
- M4.6
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 0.30 m
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 4.6 earthquake at a depth of 33 km.
The highest documented water height was 0.30 m (Simpson Harbour, New Britain, Papua New Guinea).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
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) · Sep 17, 1994, 4:51 PM UTC
- 0:06 hPapua New Guinea · Simpson Harbour, New Britain · 0.30 m
1 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 0.30 m Simpson Harbour, New Britain | — | 0:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson Harbour, New Britain · East New Britain | 0.30 m | 29 km | Papua New Guinea |
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.