World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 2011
Historic Tsunami
2011 Japan Tsunami
11 March 2011 · Honshu Island · Japan
On 11 March 2011 at 05:46 UTC, a tsunami formed near Honshu Island, Japan. It was caused by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake. Waves reached up to 39.3 m high. It was observed at 6,360 locations in 20 countries or territories, up to 18,256 km from its source. It killed at least 18,423 people and injured 6,167. It is the 11th deadliest and the 34th highest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 11 March 2011
- Time
- 05:46 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 9.1
- Highest Wave
- 39.3 m
- Observation Sites
- 6,360
- Furthest Reach
- 18,256 km
- Deaths
- 18,423
- Injuries
- 6,167
- Homes Destroyed
- 123,661
- Estimated Damage
- 220.1 billion US dollars
- Source Country
- Japan
- Triggering Earthquake
- 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 5,444Japan · 39.3 m15,950 deaths
- 446United States of America · 5.4 m1 deaths
- 19Indonesia · 2.8 m1 deaths
- 151Ecuador · 6.1 m
- 79French Polynesia · 4.5 m
- 34Russia · 2.5 m
- 20Chile · 2.5 m
- 14Mexico · 1.7 m
- 6Peru · 1.5 m
- 4Papua New Guinea · 1.1 m
- 13Australia · 1.0 m
- 17Costa Rica · 1.0 m
Highest Waves
- 39.3 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 140 km
- 38.9 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 140 km
- 38.6 mMiyagi Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 77 km
- 38.5 mMiyagi Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 95 km
- 38.4 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 140 km
- 38.1 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 205 km
- 37.9 mKoborinai · Japan · 147 km
- 37.6 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 169 km
- 36.5 mIwate Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 140 km
- 36.4 mMiyagi Prefecture, Tohoku Region · Japan · 84 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2024Honshu: W Coast, Japan · 11.3 m549 deaths
- 1983Noshiro, Japan · 14.9 m104 deaths
- 1982Hokkaido Island, Japan · 1.3 m110 deaths
- 1933Sanriku, Japan · 29.0 m3,022 deaths
- 1923Sagami Bay, Japan · 13.0 m105,385 deaths
- 1905Japan: Off Fukushima, Japan57 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth