March 21, 1969 Tsunami: Luzon Island, Philippines
A tsunami caused by a volcano began at Luzon Island, Philippines on March 21, 1969. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 3 people.
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 21, 1969
- Source
- Luzon Island, Philippines
- Cause
- Volcano
- Volcano
- The eruption that caused it
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 19.077° N, 122.202° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 3
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.
Three persons were swallowed up while fishing near San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan, yesterday when Didicas Volcano at Didicas Island erupted, according to reports reaching the Commission on Volcanology in Manila from the Cagayan PC. (reference #1630)
Three fishermen were killed during the 1969 eruption, but the cause of their death is unknown (tsunami or pyroclastic surge?). (reference #10848)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Vicente, Cagayan | Philippines | 68 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 3 |
More
Every tsunami in 1969The 1900sTsunamis of PhilippinesThe eruptionThis 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 2872.