September 5, 1711 Tsunami: Banda Sea, Indonesia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake began at Banda Sea, Indonesia on September 5, 1711. The water rose as high as 1.2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 5 places. It killed 2 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
- September 5, 1711
- Source
- Banda Sea, Indonesia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7
- Maximum water height
- 1.2 m (3.9 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 5
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1.5
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 4.000° S, 129.000° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 2
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.
Reference #414:
1711, September 5, between 22:00 and 23:00 [local time]. Ambon. There were tidal waves, like the waves of 28.X1.1708, which lasted till 8:30. On September 6, the water in the bay rose and fell three times at half hour intervals. The rise of water occurred very quickly and was 1.2 m (4 feet). Two homes were destroyed. Two children drowned on the road at Hotiwa. The tsunami occurred mainly on the eastern coast of the island. In Baguala Bay, a tidal wave was observed which advanced and retreated 13-14 times, but it was not noticed at Poke. At Kampung-Mardjlka, the water left a well [the result of an earthquake?]. On the islands of Haruku, Saparua, Laot and Banda, a strong earthquake occurred at the same time as a tidal wave appeared in Ambon Bay; 13-14 shocks were recorded.
Reference #132:
1711, September 5. Amboina. Three moderate waves in bay.
Reference #40:
1711, September 5. Amboina. Three moderate waves in bay.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laot (Laut) Island | Indonesia | 44 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Saparua Island | Indonesia | 62 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Oma, Haruku Island | Indonesia | 74 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Baguala Bay, Ambon Island | Indonesia | 92 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Ambon Island | Indonesia | 97 | 1.2 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 2 |
More
Every tsunami in 1711The 1700sTsunamis of IndonesiaThe 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 383.