April 1825 Tsunami: Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories in April 1825. 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
- April 1825
- Source
- Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 14.000° N, 143.300° E
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Many (101 to 1,000) 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.
1825, April. Validity 2. Major earthquakes were reported in 1809, 1822, 1825, 1834, 1837, (Degraz, 1838)... Degraz (1838) reported that in the month of October 1837, an extraordinary movement of the sea was experienced. A type of tempest disturbed it and it flooded raised portions of the banks, caused landslides and considerable damage... He also reported similar movements for the 1809 and 1825 events where some ships experienced violent shocks near Guam. (reference #482)
During the months of April and May of the years 1825 and 1834 terrible earthquakes were experienced on this island, causing great damage to buildings and spreading consternation among the inhabitants, who believed their last hour had come. (reference #2519)
The years 1809, 1822, 1825, and 1834 were especially remarkable for the violence of the quakes... in the month of October 1837, without knowing the exact date, extraordinary movement was experienced at sea. A type of tempest disturbed it, it flooded various portions raised from the banks, caused landslides and considerable damage at different points. In 1809 and 1825, similar movements
occurred and also were occasions by some landslides. At the same time, some ships experienced some very violent shocks in the neighborhood of Guam. These quakes coincided with the eruptions of the volcanoes from Ascension and Lazan and it was remarked also that the movement seemed to come from the northeast. (reference #2499)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guam, Mariana Islands, GU | US Territories | 0 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1825The 1800sTsunamis of US TerritoriesThe earthquakeAlerts 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 2934.