December 12, 1934 Earthquake: Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
An earthquake struck Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea on December 12, 1934 at 14:15 UTC. 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
- December 12, 1934
- Time
- 14:15 UTC
- Place
- Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 4.200° S, 152.200° E
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1934, December 13, 00:15 [local time]. Rabaul, New Britain. Remarks from Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1934: Early on Wednesday morning, December 13, Rabaul was visited by a severe tremor. The time of the shock was 12:15 am. The first tremor was of an up-and-down nature and was followed later by spasmodic shakes from various directions. Landslides occurred on the various main roads and a small tidal wave was reported from Nondup Nodup. (reference #99)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 28, 1937, Keravia, Rabaul, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
- December 22, 1983, Ulawun, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
- January 13, 1941, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- November 16, 2000, New Ireland, Duke of York, Papua New Guinea
- February 4, 1878, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- March 10, 1989, Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- February 25, 1910, Matupi Harbor, Papua New Guinea
- May 8, 1911, Matupit Island, Papua New Guinea
- September 17, 1994, Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- September 10, 1900, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- August 13, 1967, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- May 14, 2019, Rabaul, Duke of York Is, Papua New Guinea
- March 29, 2015, Papua New Guinea
- January 1, 1916, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea
- July 3, 1985, Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
More
Significant earthquakes of 1934The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1934Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 9900.