March 15, 1657 Tsunami: Central Chile
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake began at Central Chile on March 15, 1657 at 23:30 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 40 people.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- March 15, 1657, 23:30 UTC
- Source
- Central Chile
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 8
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 2.5
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 36.830° S, 73.030° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 40
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Many (101 to 1,000)
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.
At Conception, after the earthquake the sea level rose and exceeded its normal high mark "with ruthless fury". The tsunami, which may have started with an ebb, affected a consdierable section of the shore. In fact, there were at least three large waves. The largest and most destructive wave occurred in Concepcion two hours [?] after the earthquake and, it appears, unexpectedly for the poulation. The water inundated the lower sections of the town and reached the center of the main square. The area along the river in the eastern part of town suffered particularly heavy damage, because here there were fewer houses to break the impact of the wave. One vessel was hurled into the residential area. About forty persons perished from the affect of this tsunami. After the earthquake and tsunami, the frightened Indians lifted their siege and departed. (reference #415)
March 15, 1657, Chile. Epicenter in the interior between 36" and 39" S., probably near Santiago. Waves high along a great extent of coast. Concepcion inundated by three waves which destroyed everything that the earthquake had left standing. (reference #39)
March 15, 1657, 23:30 UTC, 37 S, 73 W, magnitude 8 MS, runup height 8 m, tsunami magnitude 3, tsunami intensity 2.5. (reference #552)
March 15, 1657, 23:30 UTC, 36-39 S, magnitude 8. Conception flooded by three waves that finished destroying everything what the earthquake left standing. (reference #164)
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Concepcion | Chile | 12 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 40 |
More
Every tsunami in 1657The 1600sTsunamis of ChileThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 281.