March 28, 1784 Tsunami: S. Mexico
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at S. Mexico on March 28, 1784. The water rose as high as 3 meters. 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
- March 28, 1784
- Source
- S. Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Maximum water height
- 3 m (9.8 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 16.900° N, 99.900° W
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
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.
1784, March 28 to April 4. 35 tremors, great destruction: Guerrero, tsunami in Acapulco, raised to the sea more than 12 feet, casualties. (reference #1195)
1784, March 28. Mexico, tsunami (12 ft), several dead. (reference #1002)
Note: This event is not listed in most earthquake or tsunami catalogs and the description sounds very similar to the event on 1787, March 28. It is very likely describing the 1787 event.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acapulco | Mexico | 8 | 3 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1784The 1700sTsunamis of MexicoThe 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 539.