Historic Tsunami

2018 New Caledonia Tsunami

5 December 2018 · Loyalty Islands · New Caledonia

On 5 December 2018 at 04:18 UTC, a tsunami formed near Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. It was caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. Waves reached up to 4.0 m high. It was observed at 35 locations in 10 countries or territories, up to 5,988 km from its source.

Date

5 December 2018

Time

04:18 UTC

Cause

Earthquake

Earthquake Magnitude

7.5

Highest Wave

4.0 m

Observation Sites

35

Furthest Reach

5,988 km

Source Country

New Caledonia

Triggering Earthquake

M 7.5, 2018

Countries and Territories Reached

Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.

• 10Vanuatu · 4.0 m
• 10New Caledonia · 2.3 m
• 4New Zealand · 0.2 m
• 1Wallis and Futuna (French Territory) · 0.1 m
• 2Australia · 0.1 m
• 3United States of America · 0.1 m
• 2Fiji
• 1Tonga
• 1Samoa
• 1Tuvalu

Highest Waves

• 4.0 mUmeij (Oumetch), Aneityum, Vanuatu · Vanuatu · 194 km
• 2.3 mYate · New Caledonia · 261 km
• 2.0 mIle Des Pins · New Caledonia · 211 km
• 2.0 mMare Island · New Caledonia · 166 km
• 2.0 mAnelghowhat, Aneityum, Vanuatu Isl · Vanuatu · 194 km
• 1.5 mIpikel, Tanna · Vanuatu · 270 km
• 0.7 mLenakel, Tanna · Vanuatu · 268 km
• 0.5 mOuinne · New Caledonia · 283 km
• 0.4 mMare Island · New Caledonia · 166 km
• 0.3 mPort Vila, Efate Island · Vanuatu · 479 km

Other Major Tsunamis in the Region

• 2024Vanuatu Islands, Vanuatu · 0.3 m14 deaths
• 2010Vanuatu Islands, Vanuatu · 4.1 m
• 1995Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia · 8.0 m
• 1950Vanuatu Islands, Vanuatu · 2.5 m
• 1942New Caledonia · 3.0 m
• 1936New Caledonia · 2.2 m

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth