May 22, 1942 Tsunami: Colombia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 5.8 earthquake began at Colombia on May 22, 1942 at 10:30:36 UTC. The water rose as high as 1 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
- May 22, 1942, 10:30:36 UTC
- Source
- Colombia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 5.8, 130 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 1 m (3.3 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 4.600° N, 74.500° W
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) 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.
May 22, 1942 there was an earthquake (4.5 N, 75 W, depth 130 km, magnitude 5.75) felt in Colombia in the region of Buenaventura Gulf. According to press reports, soon after the earthquake, Gorgona Island in Buenaventura Gulf was flooded by an enormous wave. However, the record of the tide gauge set up in this bay shows no unusual oscillations in level in the time interval in question. (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Gorgona doubtful | Colombia | 447 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1942The 1900sTsunamis of ColombiaThe 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 1750.