May 16, 1900 Tsunami: Mexico
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake began at Mexico on May 16, 1900 at 20:12 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 2 places.
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, 1900, 20:12 UTC
- Source
- Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.9, 60 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 20.000° N, 105.000° W
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
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 #13627:
It was felt strongly in the center and south of Jalisco and Colima states, and it was said that, “…the second shock was followed by a tidal wave many feet in height, enveloping every coast town of Colima and Jalisco. At Peñitas, in Jalisco, and Zapotillo, in Tepic, fishing boats were swamped and several natives were drowned” by the San Francisco Call (1900; Fig. 4f ) and Meady County News (1900).
Ref #13627 notes that only U.S.A. newspapers mentioned the tsunami. (i.e., no mention in Mexico newspapers). Reference #13234 provides many reports from across Mexico but no mention of tsunami.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Vallarta | Mexico | 73 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| El Zapotillo, Tepic | Mexico | 170 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1900The 1900sTsunamis of MexicoThe 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 5897.