Tsunamis in French Polynesia
A total of 13 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1837 have killed 2 people in French Polynesia. Compared to other countries, Tsunamis therefore occur rather rarely.The strongest tidal wave registered in French Polynesia so far reached a height of 20 meters. On 04/01/1946, this tsunami killed a total of 2 people.
The biggest impact in terms of lifes, injuries, destroyed homes and the economy had been a tsunami on 03/11/2011.
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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 190 years.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 190 years.
The largest tsunamis in French Polynesia since 1837
| Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/16/2015 | Earthquakes in Chile (Central Chile) with a magnitude of 8.3. | 1.4 m | 0 | |
| 03/11/2011 | Earthquakes in Japan (Honshu Island) with a magnitude of 9.1. The tsunami caused damages in 11 further countries. A total of 18,431 humans died. | 4.5 m | 0 | |
| 02/27/2010 | Earthquakes in Chile (Central Chile) with a magnitude of 8.8. The tsunami also reached Chile, United States, Russia, New Zealand. A total of 156 humans died. | 3.9 m | 0 | |
| 09/13/1999 | Landslide in French Polynesia (Fatu Hiva) | 8 m | 0 | |
| 02/21/1996 | Earthquakes in Peru (N. Peru) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 2 m | 0 | |
| 07/30/1995 | Earthquakes in Chile (Northern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.0. | 3 m | 0 | |
| 03/28/1964 | Earthquake, landslide in the United States (Prince William Sound, Ak) with a magnitude of 9.2. The tsunami caused damages in 5 further countries. A total of 124 humans died. | 2 m | 0 | |
| 05/22/1960 | Earthquakes in Chile (Southern Chile) with a magnitude of 9.5. The tsunami caused damages in 13 further countries. A total of 2,226 humans died. | 3.4 m | 0 | |
| 03/09/1957 | Earthquakes in the United States (Andreanof Islands, Ak) with a magnitude of 8.6. The tsunami caused damages in 6 further countries. A total of 2 humans died. | 6 m | 0 | |
| 04/01/1946 | Earthquake, landslide in the United States (Unimak Island, Ak) with a magnitude of 8.6. The tsunami caused damages in 6 further countries. A total of 167 humans died. | 20 m | 2 | |
| 08/17/1906 | Earthquakes in Chile (Central Chile) with a magnitude of 8.2. The tsunami also reached United States, Chile. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 08/13/1868 | Earthquakes in Chile (Northern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.5. The tsunami caused damages in 6 further countries. A total of 25,000 humans died. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 11/07/1837 | Earthquakes in Chile (Southern Chile) with a magnitude of 8.5. | 2 m | 0 |
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.
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