March 14, 1834 Tsunami: S. Mexico
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake began at S. Mexico on March 14, 1834. 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 14, 1834
- Source
- S. Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 0
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 16.800° N, 99.900° W
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100)
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.
March 13/14, 1834. On March 11 about 22:30 [local time], magnitude 7, tsunami event validity questionable, at Acapulco, there was a strong vertical shock, followed by others, which were observed for several days. At Mexico City, there were undulating tremors lasting more than 2 minutes. On the third day, the sea retreated about 33 m from the shore and then gradually returned to its usual level. [This and the preceding description [March 10, 1833] have been taken from different sources; it is possible that they relate to the same event.] (reference #415)
March 13, 1834. Tsunami source near Acapulco, Mexico, tsunami observed Acapulco. Sea receded 33 m and returned destroying several buildings. (reference #79)
March 11, 1834. The earthquake occurred near Acalpulco. It was followed by a large number of aftershocks
during several days. In Mexico City, its tremor was felt for more than two minutes. The sea receded 33 m from the coast, returning then to its normal level. (reference #369)
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 | 4 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1834The 1800sTsunamis 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 685.