June 22, 1977 Tsunami: Tonga Trench
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake began at Tonga Trench on June 22, 1977 at 12:08:33 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.4 meters. Its effects were recorded at 19 places in at least 7 countries. It killed 1 person, 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
- June 22, 1977, 12:08:33 UTC
- Source
- Tonga Trench
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.2, 65 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 19
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 22.878° S, 175.900° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 1 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 5 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- $1.2 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 weak tsunami was recorded in a fairly large region.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suva, King'S Wharf | Fiji | 791 | 0.16 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 13:50 | ||
| Apia, Upolu Island | Samoa | 1,093 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 13:44 | ||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 1,099 | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 13:18 | ||
| Opua | New Zealand | 1,681 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 16:10 | ||
| Whangarei | New Zealand | 1,710 | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 15:50 | ||
| Auckland | New Zealand | 1,787 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 15:45 | ||
| Tauranga | New Zealand | 1,803 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 15:22 | ||
| Noumea | New Caledonia | 1,820 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 18:13 | ||
| Papeete, Tahiti | French Polynesia | 2,810 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 15:35 | ||
| Mururoa Islands | French Polynesia | 3,800 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 18:05 | ||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,230 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 5,265 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 19:46 | ||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 5,274 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Lihue, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 5,278 | 0.16 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 19:35 | ||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,282 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 22, 19:55 | ||
| Port San Luis, CA, CA | United States | 8,666 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Los Angeles, CA, CA | United States | 8,745 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Long Beach, CA, CA | United States | 8,751 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| San Diego, CA, CA | United States | 8,760 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1977The 1900sTsunamis of TongaThe 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 2091.