March 24, 1883 Tsunami: Samoa

1883, March 24, validity 3. On this day there was a strong hurricane raging in the Samoan Islands and some accounts suggest that an earthquake may have occurred at the same time. But the hurricane was of such ferocity that a clear answer on this point could not be established. However, the consensus was that the hurricane alone could not have caused all the destruction. The vessels that lain at anchor, had suddenly broken loose as if by a special force. In addition, two large tidal waves appeared (Fuchs, 1885 a). (reference #415)

1883, March 24, validity 2. According to Soloviev and Go (1975) a strong hurricane was raging in the Samoa Islands. Some accounts suggest an earthquake occurred at the same time. Ships at anchor broke loose. Two tidal waves appeared. The New York Times reports. "Captain Pearson, commander of the Wachusett, in a report from Apia, Samoa Islands, gives a description of a storm accompanied by shocks of earthquakes which occurred in the Samoa group on the night of March 24. The east end of the Island of Savai'i was visited by a tidal wave which swept away all houses within a quarter of a mile (0.4 km) of the beach for a distance of 15 miles (25.5 km) along the shore." This is probably a meteorological event but Soloviev and Go (1974. p. 10) believed the destruction was too severe to be due entirely to the storm alone. (Pararas-Carayannis and Dong, 1980). (reference #236)