Tsunamis in Papua New Guinea
A total of 35 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1857 have killed 2,261 people in Papua New Guinea. Tsunamis therefore occur comparatively often in this country.The strongest tidal wave registered in Papua New Guinea so far reached a height of 15.03 meters. On 07/17/1998, this tsunami killed a total of 2,205 people.
Other natural hazards in Papua New Guinea:
› Volcanoes
› Earthquakes
› Cyclones
› The most severe tsunamis in the world
Back to overview: Papua New Guinea
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 170 years.
The marked positions on the map represent the most affected regions within the past 170 years.
The largest tsunamis in Papua New Guinea since 1857
| Date | Cause | Max. tidal wave | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/09/2018 | Volcano in Papua New Guinea (Kadovar Island, Papua New Guinea) | 1 m | 0 | |
| 05/05/2015 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (New Britain) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 1 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. | 1.1 m | 0 | |
| 04/01/2007 | Earthquakes on the Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands) with a magnitude of 8.1. The tsunami also reached Solomon Islands, New Caledonia. A total of 50 humans died. | 3.5 m | 0 | |
| 09/08/2002 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) with a magnitude of 7.6. | 5.5 m | 0 | |
| 11/16/2000 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) with a magnitude of 8.0. | 3 m | 0 | |
| 07/17/1998 | Earthquake, landslide in Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) with a magnitude of 7.0. | 15.03 m | 2,205 | |
| 09/19/1994 | Volcano in Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) | 3 m | 0 | |
| 10/16/1987 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.4. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 02/08/1987 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.4. | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 07/03/1985 | Earthquake, landslide in Papua New Guinea (New Ireland) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 1.3 m | 0 | |
| 07/20/1975 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 2 m | 0 | |
| 02/01/1974 | Earthquakes on the Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands) with a magnitude of 7.1. | 1 m | 0 | |
| 08/26/1972 | Landslide in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 07/26/1971 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 10 m | 0 | |
| 07/14/1971 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 6 m | 1 | |
| 10/31/1970 | Earthquake, landslide in Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 3 m | 1 | |
| 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. | 1.8 m | 0 | |
| 06/23/1957 | Earthquakes in Indonesia (Nw. Irian Jaya) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 1.8 m | 0 | |
| 06/27/1953 | Volcano in Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) | 0 m | 0 | |
| 11/04/1952 | Earthquakes in Russia (Kamchatka) with a magnitude of 9.0. The tsunami caused damages in 11 further countries. A total of 10,000 humans died. | 2.4 m | 0 | |
| 04/30/1939 | Earthquakes on the Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands) with a magnitude of 7.9. | 1.5 m | 0 | |
| 05/13/1938 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.5. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 05/29/1937 | Volcano in Papua New Guinea (Rabaul) | 2.5 m | 0 | |
| 12/23/1930 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) with a magnitude of 6.5. | 12 m | 27 | |
| 01/15/1899 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (East Coast, New Ireland) The tsunami also reached Solomon Islands, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 03/06/1895 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Solomon Sea) with a magnitude of 7.3. | 6 m | 27 | |
| 03/13/1888 | Volcano, landslide in Papua New Guinea (Ritter Island) | 15 m | 0 | |
| 01/01/1873 | Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea (Maclay Coast) with a magnitude of 8.0. | 0 m | 0 | |
| 04/17/1857 | Earthquake, landslide in Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) with a magnitude of 8.0. | 0 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.
Recent earthquakes and their magnitudes in Papua New Guinea
Active volcanoes and eruptions in Papua New Guinea
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States