Historical tsunamis · Feb 16, 1861
1861 SW. Sumatra tsunami
Indonesia
The tsunami of Feb 16, 1861 originated near SW. Sumatra (Indonesia).
Key facts
- Date
- Feb 16, 1861
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.5
- Depth
- 70 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 7.00 m
- Deaths
- 1,105
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 17
- Countries affected
- 1
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake at a depth of 70 km.
The highest documented water height was 7.00 m (Fort Laudi, Nias I., Sumatra, Indonesia).
17 observation sites in 1 countries are recorded.
The database records 1,105 deaths.
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
17Each dot is a documented observation site; colour and size show the observed water height. The triangle marks the source.
Tsunami arrival times
Documented arrival times from the NOAA/NCEI database, showing the earliest recorded location per country. Coverage is incomplete: a country without an entry was not necessarily spared.
- 0:00 hEarthquake (origin)
- 1:00 hIndonesia · Palau Telo, Sumatra
2 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 17 | 7.00 m Fort Laudi, Nias I., Sumatra | 1,105 | 1:00 h |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 17Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Laudi, Nias I., Sumatra · North Sumatra | 7.00 m | 174 km | Indonesia |
| Analaboo, Sumatra, Indonesia · Aceh | 1.50 m | 590 km | Indonesia |
| Krawang, Java · West Java | 1.50 m | 1,236 km | Indonesia |
| Barus, Sumatra · North Sumatra | 1.00 m | 348 km | Indonesia |
| Bengkulu, Sumatra · Bengkulu | 1.00 m | 612 km | Indonesia |
| Ajerbangis, Sumatra · West Sumatra | — | 248 km | Indonesia |
| Banda Aceh (Atjeh Island), Sumatra · Aceh | — | 759 km | Indonesia |
| Batu Islands, Sumatra · West Sumatra | — | 142 km | Indonesia |
| Gunungsitoli, Nias Island · North Sumatra | — | 251 km | Indonesia |
| Lapau Island, Sumatra · North Sumatra | — | 278 km | Indonesia |
| Natal, Sumatra · North Sumatra | — | 248 km | Indonesia |
| Padang, Sumatra · West Sumatra | — | 317 km | Indonesia |
| Palau Telo, Sumatra · West Sumatra | — | 135 km | Indonesia |
| Pandjang (Panjang), SE. Sumatra · East Nusa Tenggara | — | 241 km | Indonesia |
| Sibolga, Sumatra · North Sumatra | — | 334 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.