August 1920 Tsunami: Pago Pago, American Samoa, US Territories
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Pago Pago, American Samoa, US Territories in August 1920. 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
- August 1920
- Source
- Pago Pago, American Samoa, US Territories
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Erroneous entry
- Source location
- 15.000° S, 170.000° W
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.
Probable erroneous entry of 04/30/1919 or 09/20/1920.
1920, August. There was an earthquake and tsunami in Pago Pago, Samoan Islands. Presumably, the information is mistaken for the earthquake and tsunami 21.IX.1920, with its source near the New Hebrides Islands (Reference #415).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS doubtful | US Territories | 109 |
More
Every tsunami in 1920The 1900sTsunamis of US TerritoriesAlerts 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 1484.