World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 1906
Historic Tsunami
1906 Ecuador Tsunami
31 January 1906 · Off Coast · Ecuador
On 31 January 1906 at 15:36 UTC, a tsunami formed off Coast, Ecuador. It was caused by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake. Waves reached up to 5.0 m high. It was observed at 58 locations in 9 countries or territories, up to 15,193 km from its source. It killed at least 1,000 people. It is the 49th deadliest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 31 January 1906
- Time
- 15:36 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 8.8
- Highest Wave
- 5.0 m
- Observation Sites
- 58
- Furthest Reach
- 15,193 km
- Deaths
- 1,000
- Source Country
- Ecuador
- Triggering Earthquake
- 1906 Ecuador-Colombia Earthquak
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 33Colombia · 5.0 m609 deaths
- 5United States of America · 1.8 m
- 4Ecuador · 0.8 m
- 3Panama · 0.7 m
- 1New Zealand · 0.6 m
- 6Japan · 0.3 m
- 1Mexico
- 4Costa Rica
- 1El Salvador
Highest Waves
- 5.0 mTumaco · Colombia · 120 km
- 1.8 mHilo, Hawaii, Hi · United States of America · 8,482 km
- 1.0 mGuapi · Colombia · 243 km
- 0.8 mBahia Caraquez · Ecuador · 210 km
- 0.7 mNaos Is, Canal Zone, Pacific Coast · Panama · 880 km
- 0.6 mGisborne · New Zealand · 11,172 km
- 0.3 mKahului, Maui, Hi · United States of America · 8,638 km
- 0.3 mFukahori · Japan · 15,193 km
- 0.2 mKushimoto · Japan · 14,721 km
- 0.2 mAyukawa · Japan · 13,985 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2016Off Coast, Ecuador · 0.6 m663 deaths
- 2000Altar Volcano, Ecuador · 125.0 m13 deaths
- 1979Colombia: Off Shore, Pacific Ocean, Colombia · 6.0 m600 deaths
- 1958Colombia-Ecuador, Ecuador115 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth