Historical tsunamis · May 7, 1842, 9:00 PM UTC
1842 Cap-Haitian tsunami
Haiti
The tsunami of May 7, 1842, 9:00 PM UTC originated near Cap-Haitian (Haiti).
Key facts
- Date
- May 7, 1842, 9:00 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.1
- Maximum documented water height
- 5.00 m
- Deaths
- 5,300
- Houses destroyed
- very many (over 1,000)
- Damage
- extreme (over US$ 25 million)
- Observation records
- 6
- Countries affected
- 3
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 5.00 m (Port-De-Paix, Haiti).
6 observation sites in 3 countries are recorded.
The database records 5,300 deaths.
Houses destroyed: very many (over 1,000).
Damage is estimated at extreme (over US$ 25 million).
Map of observation sites
6Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haiti | 4 | 5.00 m Port-De-Paix | 300 | — |
| USA Territory | 1 | 3.10 m Saint John | — | — |
 Dominican Republic | 1 | 2.00 m Santo Domingo | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
6 / 6Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port-De-Paix | 5.00 m | 73 km | Haiti |
| Saint John · Vi | 3.10 m | 816 km | USA Territory |
| Santo Domingo | 2.00 m | 276 km | Dominican Republic |
| Cap Haitien | — | 0 km | Haiti |
| Fort Liberte | — | 37 km | Haiti |
| Mole Saint Nicholas | — | 124 km | Haiti |
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.