January 31, 1907 Tsunami: Bass Strait, Australia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake began at Bass Strait, Australia on January 31, 1907 at 07:45 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
- January 31, 1907, 07:45 UTC
- Source
- Bass Strait, Australia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 40.350° S, 149.350° 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.
Towards the end of last month a slight earthquake and tidal wave were experienced at King Island. The sea was very calm at the time, but all at once a break was seen to come over the reef, and there was a big roll towards the shore. Fortunately the tide was out at the time, and no damage resulted. (reference #14307)
Note: source of tsunami source location based on ref #14306 earthquake observations. Not confirmed
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Island, Tasmania | Australia | 457 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1907The 1900sTsunamis of AustraliaThe 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 6141.