November 16, 1979 Tsunami: Fiji Islands
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake began at Fiji Islands on November 16, 1979 at 15:21:25 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
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 16, 1979, 15:21:25 UTC
- Source
- Fiji Islands
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.9, 33 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 16.760° S, 179.984° E
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.
The Fiji Island earthquake caused a small tsunami which penetrated 150 m inland on the northern tip of Taveuni Island. (reference #45)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taveuni Island | Fiji | 17 | 150 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1979The 1900sTsunamis of FijiThe 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 2121.