World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 1944
Historic Tsunami
1944 Japan Tsunami
7 December 1944 · Off Southeast Coast Kii Peninsula · Japan
On 7 December 1944 at 04:35 UTC, a tsunami formed off Southeast Coast Kii Peninsula, Japan. It was caused by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake. Waves reached up to 10.0 m high. It was observed at 156 locations in 4 countries or territories, up to 9,304 km from its source. It killed at least 1,223 people and injured 2,135. It is the 47th deadliest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 7 December 1944
- Time
- 04:35 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 8.1
- Highest Wave
- 10.0 m
- Observation Sites
- 156
- Furthest Reach
- 9,304 km
- Deaths
- 1,223
- Injuries
- 2,135
- Homes Destroyed
- 29,205
- Source Country
- Japan
- Triggering Earthquake
- 1944 Tōnankai Earthquake
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 145Japan · 10.0 m40 deaths
- 9United States of America · 0.3 m
- 1Canada · 0.1 m
- 1Samoa
Highest Waves
- 10.0 mKumanonada Coast · Japan · 65 km
- 9.0 mKata · Japan · 83 km
- 9.0 mSagarimatsu · Japan · 79 km
- 7.9 mGata · Japan · 707 km
- 7.5 mYanoguchi · Japan · 78 km
- 7.0 mMatsubara · Japan · 93 km
- 7.0 mKuki · Japan · 79 km
- 6.5 mTenmaura · Japan · 83 km
- 6.3 mNigishima · Japan · 85 km
- 6.2 mFukuro · Japan · 108 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2024Honshu: W Coast, Japan · 11.3 m549 deaths
- 1995Kobe, Japan · 0.3 m6,434 deaths
- 1946Honshu: S Coast, Japan · 6.6 m1,362 deaths
- 1945Tokaido, Japan · 1.0 m2,306 deaths
- 1927Sw. Honshu Island, Japan · 11.3 m3,022 deaths
- 1923Sagami Bay, Japan · 13.0 m105,385 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth