August 17, 1863 Tsunami: Vanuatu Islands
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake began at Vanuatu Islands on August 17, 1863. 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
- August 17, 1863
- Source
- Vanuatu Islands
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.5
- Volcano
- The eruption that caused it
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 19.000° S, 168.500° E
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 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.
Reference #414:
1863, August 17, validity 2. There was a weak underground shock which passed almost unnoticed, at Noumea (Port de France) in New Caledonia on the 15th at 19:30. There was a more perceptible shock on the 17th at 20:00. It considerably disturbed the instruments at the astronomical observatory. The cross lines of the tubes of the transit instrument after the shock experienced spasmodic oscillations which were larger north-south than east-west.
Then came news that the shocks may have been connected with an eruption of the volcano on Tanna Island. The news was delivered to the Vagap post office by a small English schooner, which had been situated near the volcano at the time of the eruptions. According to the captain, lava covered half the island, causing numerous victims among the population.
Another schooner, the "Ariel," which had been situated off neighboring Eromanga Island, brought a report on passing Port de France on August 26 that the shock of August 17 was felt on Eromanga Island with great force and was accompanied by an unusual movement of the sea. A large wave made the schooner "dance" on its anchors, putting it in extreme danger. This wave must have done great damage on land, but the captain could not give any information about this, since they did not land. At this time, there were no Europeans on the New Hebrldes, and no written reports could be received from the islands about the earthquake and volcano eruption.
According to the director of the astronomic observatory at Port de France, the earthquake of August 17 on New Caledonia was felt most strongly at Kanala and Vagap. No oscillations in sea level were noticed on the coast of New Caledonia.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erromango Island | Vanuatu | 71 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1863The 1800sTsunamis of VanuatuThe earthquakeThe eruptionThis 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 929.