November 5, 1930 Tsunami: Mombasa, Kenya
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Mombasa, Kenya on November 5, 1930. The water rose as high as 6 meters. 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
- November 5, 1930
- Source
- Mombasa, Kenya
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- The earthquake
- Maximum water height
- 6 m (19.7 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 4.050° S, 39.667° 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.
November 5, 1930, Mombasa. (V). Two tidal waves at about 10.30 a.m. traveling toward Ras Serania on a front of about 150 ft and possibly 20 ft in amplitude. Waves rose to about half the height of Mombasa cliff at the lighthouse. (about 20 ft). (reference #1236)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ras Serania, Mombasa | Kenya | 0 | 6 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1930The 1900sTsunamis of KenyaThe 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 3620.