January 25, 1849 Tsunami: Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories

Reference #482:

1849, January 25, 05:10 UTC. At 2:49 P.M. local time as reported by the Governor to his superiors (Driver, 1993), a

great earthquake occurred which lasted one and a half minutes and caused great damage. Aftershocks continued

every four to eight minutes until 11 o'clock that night. They began again at 2:30 A.M. local time and continued for

weeks. About 150 felt earthquakes were noted by March 11. The population was fearful that they were on a volcano

and the island might explode or sink. Sand boils discharging sea water opened up cavities which had measured

depths of one to six yards. Twelve to seventeen of the cavities were in a line parallel to the river by Santa Cruz just south of Agana. The only reported loss of life was to Josefa Lujan, a woman caught by one of the three reported

tsunami waves, near the Talofofo River. She was from Agana and going to Inarajan. She is the only reported fatality

due to a tsunami in Guam's history. Her two year old niece received bruises on her face and was carried 40 yards and

deposited among some rocks (Driver, 1993). The Governor's report placed the woman at her ranch near the beach... Major earthquake damage and tsunami effects reported by the governor including the only fatality due to tsunamis in Guam's history. Villages flooded, homes destroyed, bridges washed away. Runup of at least 6.1 m at Agat and inundation of at least 402 m at Umatac Bay. Evidence of submarine landslide in Apra Harbor... Many perished on the Island of Satawal and some were left behind.

Reference #414:

1849, January 24 (or 25), 14:30 (or 14:56). Magnitude 7.5, Guam Island. There was a destructive earthquake on the Mariana Islands. A tsunami occurred. [The tsunami was generated by an earthquake on the 24th or the 25th.] One of the eyewitnesses, who was on board a ship riding in the bay, gave the following account of the effects of the main earthquake and the tsunami in Umatac Bay: "The first, main earthquake began with an exceptional trembling of the water, which was then transmitted to the land. The displacements of the ground were so large that all stone and brick buildings suffered to some extent, and many completely collapsed. One of my boats were taking on a supply of water in the mouth of the river. It was caught by the flood tide, and almost tossed on to the trees. Barrels and other objects were carried 1/2 km (1/4 mile) or more from the shore to open sea. When the wave rolled back, hundreds of fishes were left on the dried bottom. The shore near the river dropped about 3 1/2 m (12 feet). The wave entrained the ship with such force, that it could not hold to its anchors. The water ran up onto the island in an east-west direction. A mild northeasterly wind was blowing."

In the Inarajan region (southeast coast), a woman was caught up by the wave near the Talofofo River, and never reappeared. People arriving from Satawal Island (Caroline Islands) related that this island was flooded by a wave.

Reference #79:

1849, January 24. Guam, observed in the Mariana Islands, Guam, Umatac.