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Historic Tsunami
2022 Tonga Tsunami
15 January 2022 · Tonga Islands · Tonga
On 15 January 2022 at 04:14 UTC, a tsunami formed near Tonga Islands, Tonga. It was caused by a volcanic eruption. Waves reached up to 22.0 m high. It was observed at 834 locations in 20 countries or territories, up to 18,284 km from its source. It killed at least 6 people and injured 20. It is the 50th highest of the tsunamis recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 15 January 2022
- Time
- 04:14 UTC
- Cause
- Volcanic eruption
- Highest Wave
- 22.0 m
- Observation Sites
- 834
- Furthest Reach
- 18,284 km
- Deaths
- 6
- Injuries
- 20
- Homes Destroyed
- 284
- Estimated Damage
- 135 million US dollars
- Source Country
- Tonga
- Triggering Volcano
- Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai
Countries and Territories Reached
Number of observations, highest wave and deaths in each country.
- 105Tonga · 22.0 m7 deaths
- 16Peru · 2.0 m2 deaths
- 150United States of America · 3.8 m
- 48Chile · 1.7 m
- 2Vanuatu · 1.4 m
- 157Japan · 1.3 m
- 21French Polynesia · 1.2 m
- 9New Caledonia · 1.1 m
- 25Mexico · 1.0 m
- 30Australia · 1.0 m
- 19New Zealand · 0.9 m
- 3Cook Islands · 0.9 m
Highest Waves
- 22.0 mTofua Sw 2 · Tonga · 89 km
- 20.6 mTofua Sw 1 · Tonga · 89 km
- 20.5 mNomuka Iki Cliff · Tonga · 66 km
- 18.7 mLikualofa · Tonga · 61 km
- 17.5 mNiwa Weather Station (Kanokupolu) · Tonga · 60 km1 deaths
- 17.5 mNomuka Iki 2 · Tonga · 66 km
- 16.7 mUtukehe 1 · Tonga · 65 km
- 16.6 mUtukehe 2 · Tonga · 65 km
- 16.0 mTofua East 2 · Tonga · 94 km
- 15.8 mOhonua Trench · Tonga · 99 km
Other Major Tsunamis in the Region
- 1977Tonga Trench, Tonga · 0.4 m1 deaths
- 1919Tonga Islands, Tonga · 2.5 m
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Tsunami Database (doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7) · Natural Earth