December 29, 1820 Tsunami: Flores Sea, Indonesia

Reference #414:

1820 (incorrectly 1821), December 29, 10:00 [local time], 7 S, 119 E, magnitude 7.5 MS. There was a strong earthquake lasting 2.5 minutes at Makassar. It was also felt at other places on Sulawesi Island.

The earthquake was followed by a tidal wave, which was then repeated. The tsunami was strongest on the coast from Bonthain on the west to Bulukumba on the east; here many coastal settlements were destroyed and many people died.

There is a detailed description of these events at Bulukumba. The earthquake began with weak, but gradually intensifying tremors. The house of the fort commander rocked in every direction. The guns on the bastion jumped from their carriages. The earthquake lasted 4-5 minutes, when, it seemed a cannon shot pealed out from the west. A sloop sent to reconnoiter had not had time to return with the report that were no ships on the horizon, when a water wall 20-25 m high arrived with a whistling and at the same time thunderous roar and inundated everything. Surging 300-400 m inland, the water destroyed the barracks of the fort and the villages of Nipanipa and Terangterang. Four to five hundred people drowned, including three Europeans. Ships off the coast were tossed in to the rice fields. The oscillations in level recurred several times, and the water retreated several kilometers from shore during the ebbs.

A strong earthquake lasting 2 minutes, accompanied by a loud rumble, was felt at Bima. It was followed by a tsunami which tossed ships riding at anchor in the harbor far inland; some ships were even tossed over rooftops by the waves.

The earthquake was also felt on Palu Island in the Flores Sea.

A strong earthquake lasting 1 minute was felt at Sumenep. A rather strong tsunami was also observed here at 15:00.

Reference #2705:

>1820, December 29, 10h a m. Makassar. Violent earthquakes. Time 2 1/2 minutes. It was felt also in other parts of the southwestern peninsula of Celebes. This was followed by a tidal wave that rolled over repeatedly, and in particularly violent ways against the south coast, so many beach towns were destroyed much of the west to the east of Bonthain Bulekomba becoming ineffective and many people lost their lives...

Reference #132:

1820 Dec. 29. Celebes Islands, Macassar. A wall of water 60 to 80 feet high swept over the fort of Boelekomba in Macassar. Great damage at Nipa-Nipa and SerangzSerang. At an unknown date in 1821, Mallet mentions a similar great wave at Bima, Sumbawa, which carried ships inland over houses and extended to Maeassar. It seems almost certain that there was only one occurrence, since Wichmann, who specialized in this region, mentions but one.

Reference #497:

1820, December 29. Island of Celebes. A severe shock. The sea rose several times to an unusual height, and carried away many houses. Many hundred people lost their lives.

Reference #40:

1820, December 29. Indonesia, Celebes, Makasar (05 deg 07 min S., 119 deg 24 min E.). Epicenter off Bima on Sumbawa. A wall of water 18 to 24 meters (60 to 80 feet) high swept over the fort of Bulukumba (05 deg 33 min S., 120 deg 11 min E.) in Makasar. Great damage at Nipanipa (05 deg 33 min S., 120 deg Ol min E.) and Serangserang. At Bima ships were carried inland over the houses, (Heck 1947, Mallet and Mallet 1858). Mallet and Mallet also record a similar phenomena in December 1821.)