NOAA / NCEI
Tsunamis in Vanuatu
16 confirmed tsunamis originating in Vanuatu. Highest documented wave: 8.00 m (Vanuatu Islands, 2015).
Map of observation sites
Tsunami source locations; colour and size show the highest documented water height. Click to open the event.
All documented events
16| Date | Location / station | Magnitude | Maximum documented water height | Deaths | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2024, 1:47 AM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.3 | 0.25 m | 14 | 2 |
| Dec 7, 2023, 12:56 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.1 | 0.08 m | — | 3 |
| Jan 31, 2023, 6:00 PM UTC | East Epi Volcano | — | 0.05 m | — | 3 |
| Feb 19, 2015, 1:18 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 6.4 | 8.00 m | — | 6 |
| Mar 9, 2012, 7:09 AM UTC | Off East Coast of Vanuatu | 6.7 | 0.05 m | — | 3 |
| Feb 2, 2012, 1:34 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.0 | 0.08 m | — | 1 |
| Aug 20, 2011, 4:55 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.1 | 0.19 m | — | 4 |
| Aug 20, 2011, 6:19 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.0 | 0.15 m | — | 1 |
| Dec 25, 2010, 1:16 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.3 | 4.10 m | — | 12 |
| Aug 10, 2010, 5:23 AM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.2 | 0.23 m | — | 1 |
| Oct 7, 2009, 10:03 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.6 | 0.29 m | — | 37 |
| Mar 25, 2007, 12:40 AM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.1 | 0.08 m | — | 2 |
| Jan 2, 2002, 5:22 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.2 | 3.00 m | — | 2 |
| Nov 26, 1999, 1:21 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.5 | 6.60 m | 10 | 52 |
| Aug 11, 1965, 10:31 PM UTC | Vanuatu Islands | 7.0 | 7.00 m | — | 4 |
| Nov 4, 1953, 3:49 AM UTC | Coral Sea | 7.5 | — | — | 1 |
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.