January 1884 Earthquake: Macuata, Fiji
An earthquake struck Macuata, Fiji in January 1884. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- January 1884
- Place
- Macuata, Fiji
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 16.000° S, 179.000° E
- Country
- Fiji
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
A correspondent, writing from Macuata, describes a recently experienced shock of earthquake: "It appeared to be moving from east to west and the motion was accompanied by a low rumbling sound like that which follows the explosion of dynamite under water. The shock was a very severe one, by far the most severe that I have experienced during thirteen years of residence here in Fiji. On shore it made itself felt by everyone, and at sea it created such a commotion that the fish jumped out of the water on the flats and made for greater depths. It was sufficiently severe to split the concrete foundation of my house in two places. During my residence here I have at various times felt the shocks of seven earthquakes but this is the first occasion on which I have noticed the rumbling sound described." (reference #1184)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1884The 1800sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 7710.