September 20, 1968 Tsunami: Carupano, Venezuela
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake began at Carupano, Venezuela on September 20, 1968 at 06:00:05 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 3 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.
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 20, 1968, 06:00:05 UTC
- Source
- Carupano, Venezuela
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.5, 103 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 10.697° N, 62.748° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 3 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- 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.
A tsunami was reported on the northern coast of Venezuela, but in an unspecified location.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Coast doubtful | Venezuela | 27 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1968The 1900sTsunamis of VenezuelaThe 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 2009.