Historical tsunamis · Oct 5, 1859, 12:00 PM UTC
1859 Northern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of Oct 5, 1859, 12:00 PM UTC originated near Northern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- Oct 5, 1859, 12:00 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.6
- Maximum documented water height
- 6.00 m
- Deaths
- 10
- Houses destroyed
- 339
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 1
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 6.00 m (Caldera, Chile).
1 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 10 deaths.
Houses destroyed: 339.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
1Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 1 | 6.00 m Caldera | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
1 / 1Individual 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 | 6.00 m | 57 km | Chile |
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.