Historical tsunamis · Dec 18, 1867
1867 E. China Sea tsunami
Taiwan
The tsunami of Dec 18, 1867 originated near E. China Sea (Taiwan).
Key facts
- Date
- Dec 18, 1867
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M7.0
- Maximum documented water height
- 15.0 m
- Deaths
- 580
- Houses destroyed
- many (about 101–1,000)
- Damage
- moderate (about US$ 1–5 million)
- Observation records
- 11
- Countries affected
- 2
It was triggered by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
The highest documented water height was 15.0 m (Badouzi 1, Taiwan).
11 observation sites in 2 countries are recorded.
The database records 580 deaths.
Houses destroyed: many (about 101–1,000).
Damage is estimated at moderate (about US$ 1–5 million).
Map of observation sites
11Each 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | 9 | 15.0 m Badouzi 1 | — | — |
 China | 2 | 1.70 m Yantzekiang River, Shanghai | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
11 / 11Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badouzi 1 | 15.00 m | 28 km | Taiwan |
| Badouzi 2 | 15.00 m | 29 km | Taiwan |
| Badouzi 3 | 15.00 m | 30 km | Taiwan |
| Jinbaoli Old Street, Jinshan | 15.00 m | 30 km | Taiwan |
| Huanggang, Jinshan | 6.00 m | 29 km | Taiwan |
| Suiwei, Jinshan | 6.00 m | 30 km | Taiwan |
| Keelung Harbor Bay | 2.50 m | 27 km | Taiwan |
| Yantzekiang River, Shanghai · Shanghai | 1.70 m | 666 km | China |
| All of Chilung (Keelung) | — | 26 km | Taiwan |
| Fengbin Classified as doubtful | — | 197 km | Taiwan |
| Hangchow (Hangzhou) · Zhejiang Classified as doubtful | — | 551 km | China |
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.