Tsunamis on the Fijis
A total of 4 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1877 have killed 2,005 people on the Fijis. Tsunamis therefore occur only rarely here.The strongest tidal wave registered on the Fijis so far reached a height of 15 meters. On 09/14/1953, this tsunami killed a total of 5 people.
The biggest impact in terms of lifes, injuries, destroyed homes and the economy had been a tsunami on 05/10/1877. A tidal wave of up to two meters killed 2,000 humans and destroyed vast areas.
Other natural hazards on the Fijis:
› Earthquakes
› Cyclones
› The most severe tsunamis in the world
Back to overview: Fiji
Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 150 years.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 150 years.
The largest tsunamis on the Fijis since 1877
Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
---|---|---|---|---|
01/15/2022 | Volcano in Tonga (Tonga Islands) The tsunami caused damages in 8 further countries. A total of 6 humans died. | 0.80 m | 0 | |
11/26/1999 | Earthquakes in Vanuatu (Vanuatu Islands) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 1 m | 0 | |
09/14/1953 | Earthquake, landslide on the Fijis (Fiji Islands) with a magnitude of 6.4. | 15 m | 5 | |
05/10/1877 | Earthquakes in Chile (Northern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.3. The tsunami caused damages in 7 further countries. A total of 2,282 humans died. | 2 m | 2,000 |
These evaluations are based on data from the Global Historical Tsunami Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, and World Data Service (NGDC/WDS), doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Individual data have been summarized or translated.