1826 Tsunami: Dusky Sound, New Zealand
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Dusky Sound, New Zealand in 1826. 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
- 1826
- Source
- Dusky Sound, New Zealand
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 45.780° S, 166.480° 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 #5311:
In AD 1826 sealers reported sharp earthquakes, uplift
and tsunami in the Dusky Sound area, and subsequently
found further evidence of uplift 130 km north in northern
Fiordland. Associated landsliding and forest
destruction was reported up to 80 km north of Milford
Sound.
Reference #5324:
1826, July-December, Seal Islands, Dusky Sound. Quake. Validity 3.
Party put to sea after strong earthquake, but "such was the flux & reflux of the ocean, that they were in greatest danger of being swamped".
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seal Islands, Dusky Sound | New Zealand | 0 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1826The 1800sTsunamis of New ZealandAlerts 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 4602.