November 29, 1975 Tsunami: Hawaii, United States
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake and a landslide began at Hawaii, United States on November 29, 1975 at 14:47:40 UTC. The water rose as high as 14.3 meters. Its effects were recorded at 86 places in at least 11 countries. It killed 2 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
- November 29, 1975, 14:47:40 UTC
- Source
- Hawaii, United States
- Cause
- Earthquake and landslide
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.7, 2 km deep
- Volcano
- The eruption that caused it
- Maximum water height
- 14.3 m (46.9 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 86
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 3
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 3
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 19.451° N, 155.033° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 19
- Damage
- $1.5 million; $4 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 magnitude 7.2 MS earthquake on the southern coast of the Island of Hawaii generated a locally damaging submarine landslide tsunami that was recorded at tide gauge stations in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Japan, Galapagos Islands, Peru, and Chile. It caused $1.5 million damage in Hawaii, two deaths, and 19 injuries.
In Halape 6-8 m high waves swept away 36 people. One person died, one was missing, and others were hospitalized with varying degrees of injury. Seven villages were destroyed in the Punaluu region. Most houses were knocked off of their foundations and swept away by the second and largest wave which carried them considerable distances from the coast. Coconut palm trees were also seriously damaged. In Punaluu itself, where the tsunami penetrated to a distance of 140 m, houses were destroyed. The loss caused by the tsunamis in the Punaluu region was estimated at $1 million dollars. (reference #417)
View the event runup observations, calculated travel-times and modeled deep-ocean amplitudes on the NCEI map viewer.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaimu, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 11 | 3.7 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kalapana, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 13 | 2.4 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kamoamoa, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 15 | 6.9 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Cape Kumukahi, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 26 | 3.4 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Keauhou Landing, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 29 | 14.3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Halape, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 31 | 7.9 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 2 | ||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 31 | 2.6 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 15:12 | ||
| Punaluu Bay, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 60 | 7.6 | 137 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||
| Honuapo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 68 | 6.6 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kaalualu Bay, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 82 | 4.9 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Hookena, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 91 | 1.9 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Napoopoo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 93 | 3.3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Keauhou Bay, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 99 | 2.9 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kailua, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 104 | 1.8 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kawaihae, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 106 | 0.8 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Honokohau, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 107 | 2.2 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Hana, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 175 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 220 | 0.4 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 15:42 | ||
| Lahaina, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 235 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 360 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 15:41 | ||
| Mokuoloe-Coconut Is, Oahu, HI | United States | 362 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 529 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 15:46 | ||
| Johnston Island, HI | US Territories | 1,563 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Bodega Bay, CA, CA | United States | 3,727 | 0.22 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| San Francisco, CA, CA | United States | 3,748 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Port San Luis, CA, CA | United States | 3,787 | 0.39 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Isla Guadalupe | Mexico | 3,864 | 0.43 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 19:56 | ||
| Isthmus Harbor, Catalina Is, CA, CA | United States | 3,934 | 1.4 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Avalon Harbor, Catalina Is, CA, CA | United States | 3,947 | 1.4 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, CA, CA | United States | 3,952 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Los Angeles, CA, CA | United States | 3,961 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Long Beach, CA, CA | United States | 3,967 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Wake Island, UM | US Territories | 4,020 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| La Jolla, CA, CA | United States | 4,032 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| San Diego, CA, CA | United States | 4,036 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Imperial Beach, CA, CA | United States | 4,040 | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Ensenada | Mexico | 4,069 | 0.46 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 4,106 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Apia, Upolu Island | Samoa | 4,112 | 0.17 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, MH | Marshall Islands | 4,181 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Tofino (Clayoquot),british Columbia, BC | Canada | 4,195 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 20:56 | ||
| Port Alberni, British Columbia, BC | Canada | 4,262 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 21:40 | ||
| Sitka, AK, AK | United States | 4,480 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Loreto | Mexico | 4,525 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Yakutat, AK, AK | United States | 4,618 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Cabo San Lucas | Mexico | 4,685 | 0.27 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Puerto Vallarta | Mexico | 5,190 | 0.23 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Manzanillo | Mexico | 5,310 | 0.27 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Acapulco | Mexico | 5,816 | 0.34 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hanasaki | Japan | 6,090 | 0.21 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kushiro | Japan | 6,184 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Tokachiko | Japan | 6,263 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hiroo | Japan | 6,264 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 22:30 | ||
| Urakawa | Japan | 6,309 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Salina Cruz | Mexico | 6,323 | 0.3 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Miyako | Japan | 6,364 | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Ayukawa | Japan | 6,405 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hachinohe (Kensetsukyoku) | Japan | 6,406 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Chichijima Island | Japan | 6,415 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Onahama | Japan | 6,460 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Same | Japan | 6,467 | 0.02 | ||||
| Hakodate | Japan | 6,476 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hitachiko | Japan | 6,485 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Mera | Japan | 6,566 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Yaene, Hachijo Island | Japan | 6,584 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Miyake Island | Japan | 6,603 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Minami-Izu | Japan | 6,654 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Omaezaki | Japan | 6,714 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Owase-Kushimoto | Japan | 6,905 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Owase | Japan | 6,905 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kushimoto | Japan | 6,950 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Murotomisaki | Japan | 7,102 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Tosa-Shimizu | Japan | 7,221 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Aburatsu | Japan | 7,384 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Baltra Island | Ecuador | 7,393 | 0.23 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Puntarenas doubtful | Costa Rica | 7,587 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Naha | Japan | 7,856 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Talara | Peru | 8,492 | 0.24 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Matarani | Peru | 9,922 | 0.18 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Arica | Chile | 10,156 | 0.22 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Antofagasta | Chile | 10,343 | 0.14 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Caldera | Chile | 10,431 | 0.23 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Talcahuano | Chile | 10,592 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Corral doubtful | Chile | 10,688 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| All of Hawaii, HI | United States | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||||
| Callao LA Punta | Peru | 0.18 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
Photos
From the NCEI/WDS Natural Hazards Image Database (doi:10.7289/V5154F01). Only photos by the USGS and NOAA, which are public domain, are shown.
More
Every tsunami in 1975The 1900sTsunamis of United StatesThe earthquakeThe 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 2080.