NOAA / NCEI
Tsunamis in Papua New Guinea
30 confirmed tsunamis originating in Papua New Guinea. Highest documented wave: 15.0 m (Papua New Guinea, 1998).
Map of observation sites
Tsunami source locations; colour and size show the highest documented water height. Click to open the event.
All documented events
30| Date | Location / station | Magnitude | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9, 2018 | Kadovar Island, Papua New Guinea | — | 1.00 m | — | 1 |
| Jan 22, 2017, 4:30 AM UTC | Bougainville Island | 7.9 | 0.04 m | 3 | 1 |
| Dec 17, 2016, 10:51 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.9 | 0.08 m | — | 5 |
| Mar 29, 2015, 11:48 PM UTC | Bismarck Sea | 7.5 | 0.50 m | — | 2 |
| Apr 19, 2014, 1:29 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.5 | 0.11 m | — | 1 |
| Sep 8, 2002, 6:44 PM UTC | Bismarck Sea | 7.6 | 5.50 m | 4 | 87 |
| Nov 16, 2000, 4:54 AM UTC | Bismarck Sea | 8.0 | 3.00 m | 2 | 10 |
| Apr 20, 1999 | Kasu Cone | — | 15.0 m | 1 | — |
| Jul 17, 1998, 8:49 AM UTC | Papua New Guinea | 7.0 | 15.0 m | 1,636 | 93 |
| Aug 16, 1995, 10:27 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.7 | 0.28 m | — | 3 |
| Sep 18, 1994 | Papua New Guinea | — | 3.00 m | 4 | 4 |
| Oct 16, 1987, 8:48 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.4 | 0.07 m | — | 2 |
| Oct 12, 1987, 1:57 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.0 | 0.04 m | — | 1 |
| Feb 8, 1987, 6:33 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.4 | 1.50 m | 3 | 1 |
| Jul 3, 1985, 4:36 AM UTC | New Ireland | 7.3 | 1.30 m | — | 2 |
| Mar 18, 1983, 9:05 AM UTC | New Britain | 7.9 | 0.13 m | — | 4 |
| Jul 20, 1975, 2:37 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.9 | 2.00 m | — | 18 |
| Aug 17, 1972, 11:44 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.1 | 0.60 m | — | 1 |
| Jul 26, 1971, 1:23 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 8.1 | 10.0 m | — | 38 |
| Jul 14, 1971, 6:11 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.9 | 6.00 m | 3 | 32 |
| Oct 31, 1970, 5:53 PM UTC | Papua New Guinea | 7.3 | 3.00 m | 18 | 3 |
| Oct 19, 1949, 9:00 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.5 | 0.30 m | — | 5 |
| Jan 13, 1941, 4:27 PM UTC | Bismarck Sea | 7.4 | 0.15 m | 4 | 3 |
| May 29, 1937 | Rabaul | — | 2.50 m | 507 | 3 |
| Dec 23, 1930, 9:35 PM UTC | Bismarck Sea | 6.5 | 12.0 m | 27 | 26 |
| Oct 11, 1913, 4:06 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.0 | 0.10 m | — | 1 |
| Sep 14, 1906, 4:04 PM UTC | Solomon Sea | 8.0 | 1.50 m | some (about 51–100) | 7 |
| Mar 6, 1895, 8:35 AM UTC | Solomon Sea | 7.3 | 6.00 m | some (about 51–100) | 6 |
| Mar 13, 1888 | Ritter Island | — | 15.0 m | very many (over 1,000) | 12 |
| Apr 17, 1857 | Bismarck Sea | 8.0 | — | some (about 51–100) | 4 |
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.