December 18, 1935 Tsunami: Sichuan Province, China
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake began at Sichuan Province, China on December 18, 1935 at 07:10:36 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 100 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
- December 18, 1935, 07:10:36 UTC
- Source
- Sichuan Province, China
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- A lake or river, not the ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 28.700° N, 103.600° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 100 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- 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.
1935, December 18, 15:10:36 local time. Mabian, Sichuan Province, 28.7 N, 103.6 E, magnitude 6... Wutongqiao: Some brick walls collapsed, roof-tiles fell, and high waves surged on the river. (reference #3939)
Reference #12345 lists validity 3 (probable tsunami) (accessed 04 June 2024). Note: no source provided by ref #12345, or yet found, to confirm validity
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wutongqiao, Sichuan Province | China | 80 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1935The 1900sTsunamis of ChinaThe 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 3580.