Historical tsunamis · Dec 21, 1812, 7:00 PM UTC
1812 S. California tsunami
United States
The tsunami of Dec 21, 1812, 7:00 PM UTC originated near S. California (United States).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 21, 1812, 7:00 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M7.5
- Maximum documented water height
- 3.40 m
- Deaths
- 1
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 3.40 m (El Refugio (Gaviota), Ca, United States).
5 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 1 deaths.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
5Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 5 | 3.40 m El Refugio (Gaviota), Ca | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
5 / 5Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Refugio (Gaviota), Ca · Ca | 3.40 m | 41 km | United States |
| Hookena, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 3.00 m | 3,911 km | United States |
| Santa Barbara, Ca · Ca | 2.00 m | 32 km | United States |
| Ventura, Ca · Ca | 2.00 m | 58 km | United States |
| Santa Rosa Island, Ca · Ca | — | 29 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.