May 19, 1891 Tsunami: Sigli, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Sigli, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia on May 19, 1891. 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
- May 19, 1891
- Source
- Sigli, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 5.400° N, 96.000° E
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.
1891, May 19, 1:09 [local time]. Sigli (North of Sumatra Island). There was a very brief shock, followed by another, much stronger shock. The tremors, lasting a total of 5 seconds, were preceded by a comparatively strong sea surf. [Most likely not a tsunami.] (reference #414)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigli, Aceh, Sumatra doubtful | Indonesia | 4 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1891The 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 1185.