World Map › Major Tsunamis Since 1900 › 2012
Historic Tsunami
2012 El Salvador Tsunami
27 August 2012 · El Salvador-Nicaragua · El Salvador
On 27 August 2012 at 04:37 UTC, a tsunami formed near El Salvador-Nicaragua, El Salvador. It was caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Waves reached up to 6.3 m high. It was observed at 40 locations in 7 countries or territories, up to 11,109 km from its source.
- Date
- 27 August 2012
- Time
- 04:37 UTC
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake Magnitude
- 7.3
- Highest Wave
- 6.3 m
- Observation Sites
- 40
- Furthest Reach
- 11,109 km
- Injuries
- 40
- Source Country
- El Salvador
- Triggering Earthquake
- 2012 El Salvador Earthquake
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 27El Salvador · 6.3 m
- 3Nicaragua · 0.5 m
- 3Ecuador · 0.4 m
- 4Chile · 0.2 m
- 1New Zealand · 0.1 m
- 1Mexico
- 1Peru
Highest Waves
- 6.3 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 120 km
- 5.8 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 120 km
- 5.6 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 117 km
- 5.3 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 116 km
- 4.9 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 122 km
- 4.8 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 122 km
- 4.8 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 122 km
- 4.5 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 119 km
- 4.1 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 123 km
- 3.7 mPeninsula San Juan del Gozo · El Salvador · 117 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 2012Guatemala · 0.4 m48 deaths
- 2012Costa Rica · 0.2 m2 deaths
- 2001El Salvador · 0.3 m844 deaths
- 1992Nicaragua · 9.9 m170 deaths
- 1976Guatemala · 0.1 m23,000 deaths
- 1902El Salvador-Guatemala, El Salvador · 2.0 m185 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth