Historical tsunamis · Apr 10, 1815
1815 Tambora tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Apr 10, 1815 originated near Tambora (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 10, 1815
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Deaths
- 60,000
- Injuries
- very many (over 1,000)
- Houses destroyed
- very many (over 1,000)
- Damage
- extreme (over US$ 25 million)
- Observation records
- 5
- Countries affected
- 1
Cause according to NOAA/NCEI: Volcanic eruption.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m (Sanggar, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia).
5 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 60,000 deaths.
Houses destroyed: very many (over 1,000).
Damage is estimated at extreme (over US$ 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 5 | 4.00 m Sanggar, Sumbawa Island | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanggar, Sumbawa Island · West Nusa Tenggara | 4.00 m | 41 km | Indonesia |
| Bansiring (Besuki) · East Java | 2.00 m | 478 km | Indonesia |
| Sumenep, Madura Is., Java · East Java | 1.50 m | 474 km | Indonesia |
| Bima, Sumbawa Island · West Nusa Tenggara | 0.30 m | 84 km | Indonesia |
| Sulawesi I · West Sulawesi | — | 601 km | Indonesia |
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.