March 18, 1961 Tsunami: Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
A tsunami caused by an earthquake began at Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on March 18, 1961. The water rose as high as 3.6 meters. Its effects were recorded at 2 places.
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
- March 18, 1961
- Source
- Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Maximum water height
- 3.6 m (11.8 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 9.430° S, 159.950° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50)
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.
1961, March. Remarks by Grover, 1965: In March 1961 several shocks were reported from the San Cristobal area on the 5th, and a very small shock was felt on Guadalcanal on 10th and at Honiara on 19th: as though the effects were migrating westward. Seismic seawaves swept villages situated about 12 feet above sea level on the SE coasts of both San Cristobal and Guadalcanal on 18th and 19th March: damage was done to leaf houses, some being destroyed, and personal property lost by the islanders. No details of these waves were obtained. Earthquakes not listed for 18th or 19th. (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalcanal | Solomon Islands | 108 | 3.6 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| San Cristobal Island | Solomon Islands | 265 | 3.6 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1961The 1900sTsunamis of Solomon IslandsThis 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 1915.