June 22, 1768 Tsunami: Cape Saint George, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake began at Cape Saint George, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea on June 22, 1768. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
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
- June 22, 1768
- Source
- Cape Saint George, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.5
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 4.850° S, 152.800° E
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #414:
1768, June 22 about 10:30 [local time], validity 3. There were many shocks in Kambotoros Bay (Port Praslin), not far from Cape Saint George at the southern tip of New Ireland. The duration was about 2 minutes. Tremors were also felt on ships riding in the bay, and the sea rose and fell several times.
Reference #79:
1768, June 22. New Ireland, St. George Channel.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Praslin, New Ireland | Papua New Guinea | 8 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1768The 1700sTsunamis of Papua New GuineaThe 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 496.