January 30, 1973 Tsunami: S. Mexico
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake began at S. Mexico on January 30, 1973 at 21:01:12 UTC. The water rose as high as 1.13 meters. Its effects were recorded at 9 places in at least 3 countries. It killed 56 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
- January 30, 1973, 21:01:12 UTC
- Source
- S. Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.5, 43 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 1.13 m (3.7 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 9
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 0.1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 18.480° N, 103.000° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 56 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 390 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100) 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 30, 1973 at 15:01 [local time] a strong earthquake occurred in Michoacan, a state of west/central Mexico, causing destruction in the valleys of Michoacan, Colima, and western Jalisco. A weak tsunami with a maximum height of 1 m was observed. (reference #417)
The tsunami generated by the earthquake was recorded at tidal stations along the coast of Mexico and in Hawaii.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manzanillo | Mexico | 154 | 1.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 30, 21:20 | ||
| Acapulco | Mexico | 376 | 0.43 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 30, 21:46 | ||
| Mazatlan | Mexico | 630 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Salina Cruz | Mexico | 868 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| La Paz | Mexico | 994 | 0.21 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,457 | 0.22 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,588 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 5,870 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 8,260 | 0.21 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1973The 1900sTsunamis of MexicoThe 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 2058.