September 8, 1955 Tsunami: Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake began at Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea on September 8, 1955 at 03:27:14 UTC. 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
- September 8, 1955, 03:27:14 UTC
- Source
- Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.5, 33 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 6.900° S, 155.700° 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.
1955, September 8, Fauro Island, Solomon Islands. Remarks by Grover, 1958: On 8th September, 1955 a shock lasting more than a minute occurred at 03-27-14 GMT (Queensland T.O.O.); this was felt strongly at Fauro Island and on the central east coast of Choiseul some 100 miles to the east. A tsunami (or seiche) was reported at Fauro, the gentle rises and falls of sea level continuing for several hours. (reference #99)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fauro I. | Solomon Islands | 42 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1955The 1900sTsunamis of Papua New GuineaThe 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 1852.