March 1, 1865 Tsunami: Callao, Peru
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Callao, Peru on March 1, 1865. 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 1, 1865
- Source
- Callao, Peru
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 0.5
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
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 #415:
1865, March 1, at 6:30. Validity 2. In Callao Bay, extraordinarily heavy sea, described by the secretary of the American Embassy in Peru, T.G. Pope, who was on board the "Lancashire". According to Pope, the water surface around the ship, as far as the eye could see, was in such a "ferment" that the wind drove crests 30-40 cm (12-15 inches) into the air. The hydrogen sulfide smell was unbearable; the white sails of the ship turned black.
A similar phenomenon had recently been observed in the bay [obviously January 8/9, 1865], when an enormous wave fell on Callao, the bathhouse was washed away and several people died. But at the time there were many subterranean shocks, while Pope felt no earthquake on March 1.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callao Bay | Peru | 0.4 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1865The 1800sTsunamis of PeruThe 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 5539.