July 14, 1971 Tsunami: Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea

Name: July 14, 1971 Tsunami: Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea
Start: 1971-07-14
Location: Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea

July 14, 1971 · 6 m · 3 deaths · $250,000 · Definite tsunami

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake began at Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea on July 14, 1971 at 06:11:29 UTC. The water rose as high as 6 meters. Its effects were recorded at 33 places in at least 6 countries. 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

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date: July 14, 1971, 06:11:29 UTC
Source: Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea
Cause: Earthquake
Earthquake: Magnitude 7.9, 47 km deep
Maximum water height: 6 m (19.7 ft)
Runups recorded: 33
Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura): 1
Tsunami magnitude (Iida): 1.6
Waters: Ocean
How certain: Definite tsunami
Source location: 5.500° S, 153.900° E

The toll

Deaths: 1; 3 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Injuries: 5 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage: $250,000

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 July 14, 1971 at 16:11 [local time] a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 occurred at a depth of 50 km in the Solomon Sea near the New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville Islands. In Lambon, New Ireland, the first shock caused extensive damage; the primary school was heavily damaged and brick houses were cracked. Waves of 6 m were reported. This was not officially confirmed by subsequent investigations. It is not clear whether the destruction was caused by the tsunami wave or the earthquake In the Kunua region of Bougainville Island, a child disappeared from the shore. The western coast of Bougainvilie Island was the land closest to the some of the tsunami. Apparently, private residences sustained most of the damage. A child who had gone fishing did not return home. (reference #417)

One drowned on New Britain. Damage by tsunami on New Ireland and Bougainville. (reference #1053)

The only confirmed death was that of Rabi Tokavanamur, 40, of Toboina village [east New Britain?], a crippled man found near the water's edge on the north coast of the peninsula. He is presumed to have drowned […] A tidal wave five minutes after the earthquake lifted the level of Rabaul's harbour by seven feet. Water swept over waterfront roads, destroying much store merchandise. Wharves were damaged and closed to shipping. (reference #14297)

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	Measured by	Deaths
Sohano, Madehas Island	Papua New Guinea	81	1.5	Eyewitness observation of water height
Kunua, Bougainville Island	Papua New Guinea	95		Eyewitness observation of water height
Lambon Island, New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	141	6	Eyewitness observation of water height
Anewa Bay, Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	198	0.24	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Rabaul, New Britain	Papua New Guinea	238	2	Eyewitness observation of water height
Toboina, New Britain	Papua New Guinea	245		Eyewitness observation of water height	1
Pomio, New Britain	Papua New Guinea	264	3	Eyewitness observation of water height
Truk Islands, Caroline Islands	Micronesia	1,440	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, MH	Marshall Islands	2,199	0.24	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Wake Island, UM	US Territories	3,076	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS	US Territories	3,997	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Naze	Japan	4,572	0.04	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Mera	Japan	4,711	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Kushimoto	Japan	4,717	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Omaezaki	Japan	4,735	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Aburatsu	Japan	4,748	0.07	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Uchiura	Japan	4,753	0.03	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Owase	Japan	4,761	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Tosa-Shimizu	Japan	4,780	0.07	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Midway Islands, HI	US Territories	4,840	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Onahama	Japan	4,888	0.12	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Ayukawa	Japan	5,016	0.05	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Miyako	Japan	5,147	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Hachinohe	Japan	5,252	0.04	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Urakawa	Japan	5,398	0.06	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Kushiro	Japan	5,454	0.02	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Hanasaki	Japan	5,467	0.11	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI	United States	5,930	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI	United States	6,041	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Kahului, Maui, HI, HI	United States	6,156	0.12	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI	United States	6,245	0.1	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Attu, Massacre Bay, AK, AK	United States	6,716	0.03	Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height)
Govi	Papua New Guinea			Eyewitness observation of water height

Every tsunami in 1971 The 1900s Tsunamis of Papua New Guinea The earthquake This day in weather history Alerts 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 2034.