May 16, 1902 Tsunami: Lakeba Island, Fiji

Reference #1184:

“LAKEBA. MAY 21. When we congratulate ourselves of having passed all disasters through there being no hurricane this year, we reckoned without our host for the afternoon of the Friday 16th instant, a heavy lake or tidal wave visited us and did more damage than an ordinary hurricane would have done, and at each return of the tide until Sunday, we suffered severely. Hundreds of coconut trees are destroyed, some 10 tons of copra the natives had drying, or near the sea shore, was all swept away. The doors of Mr. Bowman's stores and copra stores burst open, and all contents swept out of the latter, as were copra vatas full of copra, fences timber stored in yard; in fact everything which came in contact with the large waves that broke over high water mark for fifty yards inland. Old graves were ..lashed away leaving bones and skulls bear. The premises which were used as store and dwelling house by Manly Bros. completely wrecked, the wood and iron cottage used as a residence by the Stipendiary Magistrate whilst at Lakeba washed off its piles and turned at right angles to its original position. The late Roko's fences and out buildings are all down, and stores weighing several tons have been thrown on to the roof whilst smaller ones of a hundredweight or so, are scattered allover the beach three yards above high water mark. Had there been any heavy rain or wind at the time more serious results would have to be reported.”

"[…]We can only conjecture that there has been heavy weather or a volcanic eruption at some distance, for the weather was fine, wind light, and several vessels outside the reef felt nothing unusual in the swell. The water seemed to strike the reef with more force than usual, and gather force as it entered the lagoon, breaking on the beach with full force as it does on the reef in ordinary weather"

Lakeba is sheltered from waves from the east by numerous reefs and islets and it is likely that the waves arrived from the southwest in an area devoid of volcanoes which might cause a tsunami.

The waves which persisted for two days were probably storm-generated similar to the 'Loka' occasionally noted along, the southwest coast of Viti Levu.