Historical tsunamis · Apr 12, 1819, 3:00 AM UTC
1819 Northern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of Apr 12, 1819, 3:00 AM UTC originated near Northern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 12, 1819, 3:00 AM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.5
- Maximum documented water height
- 4.00 m
- Deaths
- few (up to about 50)
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- severe (about US$ 5–25 million)
- Observation records
- 8
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 4.00 m.
8 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records few (up to about 50) deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at severe (about US$ 5–25 million).
Map of observation sites
8Each 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 | 4 | — | — | — |
| Chile | 3 | — | — | — |
 French Polynesia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
8 / 8Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caldera · Atacama | — | 67 km | Chile |
| Concepcion · Biobio | — | 1,100 km | Chile |
| Hakaaano, Molokai, Hi · Hi | — | 10,615 km | United States |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | — | 10,383 km | United States |
| Honolulu, Oahu, Hi · Hi | — | 10,722 km | United States |
| Huasco · Atacama | — | 165 km | Chile |
| Kahului, Maui, Hi · Hi | — | 10,572 km | United States |
| Mangareva Island | — | 6,350 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.