June 3, 1932 Tsunami: Central Mexico
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake began at Central Mexico on June 3, 1932 at 10:36:58 UTC. The water rose as high as 10 meters. Its effects were recorded at 19 places in at least 3 countries. It killed 400 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.
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
- June 3, 1932, 10:36:58 UTC
- Source
- Central Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 8.1, 35 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 10 m (32.8 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 19
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 2
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1.5
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 19.623° N, 103.919° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 4; 400 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 120 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million); Severe (about $5 to $25 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100); Many (101 to 1,000) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
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.
1932, June 3. There was a very strong earthquake on the coast of the States of Colima and Jalisco. After the earthquake the sea at Manzanillo port to the southeast became agitated, retreating and advancing unusual distances. A section of the railway between Cuyutlan and Manzanillo was washed out. The port of San Blas in the state of Nayarit was partially washed out.
Some time after the earthquake a large wave approached the rocky spit on which Navidad is situated, reaching the edge of the cliff. In Manzanillo Bay, the water, judging by traces left on the cliffs, rose 40-75 cm. The rise of water was small at Cuyutlan.
The tsunami approached Hilo 6.9 hours later. It had an amplitude of 40 cm and a period of 18 minutes. It approached Honolulu 7.7 hours later and had a magnitude of 8 cm and a period of 10 minutes. The tsunami was registered at San Diego and Apia.
(above from reference #415)
1932, June 3. According to survivors and Tomatlan chronicler (Alberto Velasco) 3 people were killed in Majahuas and 1 child in Mismaloya. Water height estimated between 8 - 10 m from eyewitness descriptions. Height values taken from Inamura-Iida scale. Mismaloya was completely destroyed, covered by 4-5 meters of sand. (reference #9764)
1932, June 3. Mexico, Cayutlan. Earthquake at 18.0 N, 104 W. High waves at Cayutlan and Manzanillo swept away railroad track between these places. Part of San Blas, state of Nayari, swept by wave. Waves recorded strongly at Hilo, Hawaii, with 2 1/2 foot range. (reference #132)
1932, June 3. High waves at Cayutlan and Manzanillo, sweeping away railroad between these two places. The Port of San Blas (State of Nayarit) was swept by wave. Damage at Guadalajara and Colima was also reported. Waves recorded strongly at Hilo (Hawaii), with 0.8-m range. (reference #82)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manzanillo | Mexico | 77 | 0.75 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Bahia San Pedrito, Manzanillo | Mexico | 77 | 3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Cuyutlan | Mexico | 80 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Barra DE Navidad | Mexico | 93 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Chamela | Mexico | 123 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Majahuas, Jalisco | Mexico | 155 | 8,000 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 3 | ||
| El Chorro, Jalisco | Mexico | 162 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Mismaloya, Jalisco | Mexico | 170 | 10 | 1,800 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 1 | |
| Puerto Vallarta | Mexico | 176 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| San Blas | Mexico | 253 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Mazatlan | Mexico | 472 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| San Diego, CA, CA | United States | 1,961 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Long Beach, CA, CA | United States | 2,111 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 3, 14:13 | ||
| Santa Barbara, CA, CA | United States | 2,259 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Los Gatos, CA, CA | United States | 2,627 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| San Francisco, CA, CA | United States | 2,699 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,340 | 0.4 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 3, 17:30 | ||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 5,604 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 3, 18:18 | ||
| Apia, Upolu Island | Samoa | 8,300 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 3, 21:45 |
More
Every tsunami in 1932The 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 1649.