January 13, 1960 Tsunami: S. Peru
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake began at S. Peru on January 13, 1960 at 15:40:34 UTC. The water rose as high as 5.7 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
- January 13, 1960, 15:40:34 UTC
- Source
- S. Peru
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.8, 160 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 5.7 m (18.7 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 2.6
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Very doubtful tsunami
- Source location
- 15.750° S, 72.750° W
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 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.
On January 13, 1960, at 10:40 [local time] there was a destructive magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Arequipa Department [15.75 S, 72.75 W, depth 130-200 km]. A tidal wave fell on the pacific resort of Ancon. The spray almost reached the top of the ten-story homes, standing on the embankment. That the wave was connected with the earthquake is doubtful. (reference #415)
Reference #552 lists maximum runup height of 5.7 m.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancon | Peru | 648 |
More
Every tsunami in 1960The 1900sTsunamis of PeruThe 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 1896.