February 6, 1938 Tsunami: Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
A tsunami of unknown cause began at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia on February 6, 1938 at 05:00 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 2 places. It killed 5 people.
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
- February 6, 1938, 05:00 UTC
- Source
- Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
- Cause
- Unknown
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
The toll
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 35
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.
The event known as ‘Black Sunday’, which occurred on 6 February 1938 at Bondi Beach, also falls into this category [freak waves]. This event was characterised by three successive waves that piled water on the beach and returned as backwash sweeping swimmers out to sea. The waves were not restricted to Bondi Beach, being reported on adjacent beaches and as far north as Newcastle. Five people drowned at Bondi. These freak wave events may represent tsunamis generated by small, localised, submarine landslides. (reference #12903)
At about 3.00 p.m. two duty patrols were changing shifts at the Bondi surf club and some 60 club members were mingling around waiting for the competition. Suddenly, three tremendous waves rolled onto the beach in such quick succession that the water could not recede [...] Approximately 250 bathers required assistance; 150 were rescued unharmed; 60 were suffering from immersion; 35 were rescued unconscious and successfully revived; and five people were dead; (reference #12904)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | Australia | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||||
| Bondi Beach, Sydney | Australia | Eyewitness observation of water height | day 6, 05:00 | 5 |
More
Every tsunami in 1938The 1900sTsunamis of AustraliaThis 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 5775.