Historical tsunamis · Apr 17, 1857
1857 Bismarck Sea tsunami
Papua New Guinea
The tsunami of Apr 17, 1857 originated near Bismarck Sea (Papua New Guinea).
Key facts
- Date
- Apr 17, 1857
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Magnitude
- M8.0
- Maximum documented water height
- —
- Deaths
- some (about 51–100)
- Houses destroyed
- some (about 51–100)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 4
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake.
4 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records some (about 51–100) deaths.
Houses destroyed: some (about 51–100).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
4Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 3 | — | — | — |
 Indonesia | 1 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
4 / 4Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aralu, Astrolabe Bay | — | 139 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Dampier Strait | — | 133 km | Papua New Guinea |
| Geelvink Bay (Sarera Bay) · Papua | — | 1,341 km | Indonesia |
| Umboi Island (Ruk, Rooke, Siassi) · Morobe | — | 111 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.