August 10, 1884 Tsunami: Rockaway Beach, New York, United States
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 5.5 earthquake began at Rockaway Beach, New York, United States on August 10, 1884 at 19:07 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 10 places. It killed 3 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.
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 10, 1884, 19:07 UTC
- Source
- Rockaway Beach, New York, United States
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 5.5
- Runups recorded
- 10
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 40.600° N, 73.750° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 3 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 1 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) 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.
A severe earthquake affected an area roughly extending along the Atlantic Coast from southern Maine to central Virginia, and westward to Cleveland, Ohio. Water in the Housatonic River was agitated violently.
(above from Reference #542)
Reference #1743 states that waves were observed immediately after the vibrations were felt.
This was probably a seaquake.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City (Harbor), NY, NY | United States | 24 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Highlands, NJ, NJ | United States | 47 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Housatonic River, CT, CT | United States | 83 | Other | ||||
| Trenton, NJ, NJ | United States | 94 | Other | ||||
| Jade Run Creek, NJ, NJ | United States | 106 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Burlington County, NJ, NJ | United States | 111 | Other | ||||
| Marlborough, NY, NY | United States | 113 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Pensauken Creek, NJ, NJ doubtful | United States | 127 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Philadelphia, PA, PA | United States | 139 | Other | ||||
| Gloucester City, NJ, NJ | United States | 141 | Other |
More
Every tsunami in 1884The 1800sTsunamis of United StatesThe 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 2359.