September 19, 1985 Tsunami: Mexico
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake began at Mexico on September 19, 1985 at 13:17:47 UTC. The water rose as high as 3 meters. Its effects were recorded at 20 places in at least 8 countries. It killed 9,500 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
- September 19, 1985, 13:17:47 UTC
- Source
- Mexico
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 8, 28 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 3 m (9.8 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 20
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- 1.6
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 18.190° N, 102.533° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 9,500 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 30,000 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million); $4 billion with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Very many (over 1,000) 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 8.1 earthquake in Michoacan, Mexico generated a tsunami which caused some damage to Lazaro Cardenos, Michoacan. A minute after the first pulse of the earthquake the sea level dropped and receded 60 meters from the coast. The short time and recession indicates a probable landslide source. There are unconfirmed reports that ships off the coast of Mexico saw waves up to 30 meters high and some fishing boats are missing. (reference #1315)
Seiches were observed in East Galveston Bay, Texas and in swimming pools in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Idaho. Water well fluctuations were recorded at Ingleside, Texas; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Rolla, Misouri; Hillsborough County, Florida and Smithsburg, Maryland. (reference #14172)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Azul | Mexico | 30 | 2.5 | 150 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||
| Lazaro Cardenas | Mexico | 38 | 2.8 | 500 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||
| Bucerias (Lighthouse) | Mexico | 102 | 3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Ixtapa | Mexico | 110 | 1.5 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Zihuatanejo | Mexico | 111 | 3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Boca DE Apisa (Apiza) | Mexico | 138 | 1.5 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Cuyutlan | Mexico | 181 | 2 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Manzanillo | Mexico | 212 | 1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Acapulco | Mexico | 317 | 1.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 13:41 | ||
| Acajutla | El Salvador | 1,452 | 0.29 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| East Galveston Bay, TX, TX | United States | 1,493 | Other | ||||
| Quepos | Costa Rica | 2,207 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 16:53 | ||
| Baltra Island | Ecuador | 2,458 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| La Libertad | Ecuador | 3,273 | 0.3 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hilo, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,512 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,643 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Rikitea (Gambier), Mangareva Island | French Polynesia | 5,773 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Papeete, Tahiti | French Polynesia | 6,491 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 8,295 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Apia, Upolu Island | Samoa | 8,381 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1985The 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 2162.