May 16, 1892 Tsunami: Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake began at Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories on May 16, 1892 at 11:10 UTC. 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 16, 1892, 11:10 UTC
- Source
- Guam, Mariana Islands, US Territories
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.5
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 0.5
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 14.000° N, 143.300° E
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) 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:
1892, May 16, 21:10 [local time]. There was a strong earthquake on Guam Island. It began with sudden vertical shocks, which made all the inhabitants run to the street. The sea retreated from the shore right up to the reefs, but due to the fact that the return movement was slow, it did not advance beyond the shore in the center of the city, though it did in San Antonio quarter. Another three very strong shocks were felt at night.
Reference #482:
1892, May 16, 11:31 UT. At 9:10 P.M. local time when clocks stopped, a strong earthquake that lasted a minute
caused tiles to fall from roofs. The sea receded to the reefs in Agana Harbor but due to its slow return it did not pass its ordinary line except in the San Antonio quarter where it invaded the area. A larger wave would have destroyed the village of San Antonio. This wave was probably due to a submarine landslide in the bay given the local effect at San Antonio. (Repetti, 1939) Validity 4.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agana Harbor, Guam, GU | US Territories | 167 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1892The 1800sTsunamis of US TerritoriesThe 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 1195.