Historical tsunamis · Aug 13, 1868, 9:30 PM UTC
1868 Northern Chile tsunami
Chile
The tsunami of Aug 13, 1868, 9:30 PM UTC originated near Northern Chile (Chile).
Key facts
- Date
- Aug 13, 1868, 9:30 PM UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M8.5
- Depth
- 25 km
- Maximum documented water height
- 18.0 m
- Deaths
- 25,000
- Damage
- US$ 300 million
- Observation records
- 118
- Countries affected
- 10
It was triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake at a depth of 25 km.
The highest documented water height was 18.0 m (Arica, Chile).
118 observation sites in 10 countries are recorded.
Outside the source country, the earliest documented arrival was at Callao (Peru) after 4:00 h.
The database records 25,000 deaths.
Damage is estimated at US$ 300 million.
Map of observation sites
118Each 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)
- 0:09 hChile · Arica · 18.00 m
- 4:00 hPeru · Callao · 4.00 m
- 11:00 hFrench Polynesia · Rapa Island
- 11:54 hUnited States · San Diego, Ca · 0.30 m
- 15:00 hNew Zealand · Tupunga, Chatham Is.
- 16:00 hSamoa · Apia, Upolu Island · 3.00 m
- 23:42 hAustralia · Sydney · 1.25 m
- 25:00 hJapan · Hakodate · 3.00 m
28 places with a documented arrival time
Observations by country
| Country | Observation records | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Earliest arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 33 | 18.0 m Arica | 154 | 0:09 h |
 Peru | 15 | 15.0 m Chala | 550 | 4:00 h |
 New Zealand | 25 | 4.50 m Little Akaloa | 1 | 15:00 h |
 United States | 15 | 4.50 m Hilo, Hawaii, Hi | — | 11:54 h |
 Samoa | 6 | 4.50 m Savaii Island | 2 | 16:00 h |
 Japan | 6 | 3.00 m Hakodate | — | 25:00 h |
 Australia | 11 | 1.25 m Sydney | — | 23:42 h |
 Venezuela | 2 | — | — | — |
 French Polynesia | 2 | — | — | 11:00 h |
 Fiji | 2 | — | — | — |
Highest documented water heights
15 / 118Individual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arica · Arica Y Parinacota | 18.00 m | 72 km | Chile |
| Chala · Arequipa | 15.00 m | 459 km | Peru |
| Iquique · Tarapaca | 12.00 m | 200 km | Chile |
| Islay · Arequipa | 12.00 m | 212 km | Peru |
| Coquimbo · Coquimbo | 7.50 m | 1,258 km | Chile |
| Ferrocarril · Antofagasta | 6.00 m | 502 km | Chile |
| Hilo, Hawaii, Hi · Hi | 4.50 m | 10,107 km | United States |
| Little Akaloa | 4.50 m | 10,537 km | New Zealand |
| Savaii Island | 4.50 m | 10,710 km | Samoa |
| Callao · Callao | 4.00 m | 980 km | Peru |
| Corral · Los Rios | 4.00 m | 2,369 km | Chile |
| Lyttelton · Canterbury | 4.00 m | 10,559 km | New Zealand |
| Talcahuano · Biobio | 4.00 m | 2,014 km | Chile |
| Tome · Biobio | 4.00 m | 2,006 km | Chile |
| Timaru · Canterbury | 3.50 m | 10,612 km | New Zealand |
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.