September 25, 1861 Tsunami: SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake began at SW. Sumatra, Indonesia on September 25, 1861. 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
- September 25, 1861
- Source
- SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.5
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1.5
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 1.500° S, 100.000° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
1861, September 25, 13:30 (local time), 1.5 S, 100 E, magnitude 6.5. At Padang and Pariaman, there was a strong undulating earthquake. It was also felt on the plateau at Solok, Lolo and at Fort de Kok for several seconds. At Indrapura, the earthquake was a accompanied by a tsunami. The sea was rough, and the water rose so high that it did damage on the coast. Several boats and huts were washed off. A second branch formed at the mouth of the river. (reference #414)
1861, September 25. Sumatra, Padang and Indrapoera. High wave swept coast. (reference #132)
1861, September 25. Sumatra, Padang and Indrapoera (2o04'S., 100o56'E.). High wave swept the coast. (reference #42)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indrapura, Sumatra | Indonesia | 121 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1861The 1800sTsunamis of IndonesiaThe 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 914.