Tsunamis in 1987

February 21, 1987 Tsunami: Western Norway

February 21, 1987 · 3 m · Definite tsunami

A tsunami caused by a landslide began at Western Norway on February 21, 1987 at 07:40 UTC. The water rose as high as 3 meters. 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

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date
February 21, 1987, 07:40 UTC
Source
Western Norway
Cause
Landslide
Maximum water height
3 m (9.8 ft)
Runups recorded
1
Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
2
Waters
Ocean
How certain
Definite tsunami
Source location
62.200° N, 6.650° E

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Avalanche from the snowfield Helgåna-fonna into the fjord Norangsfjorden, Sunnmøre. Wave heights from personal commentary by an eye-witness. Damage mainly produced by avalanche wind. 3 m high wave observed in the fjord. Tsunami intensity 2.

(reference #4139)

Every runup

Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.

WhereCountryKm from sourceWater height, mInland, mMeasured byFirst wave, UTCDeaths
NorangsfjordenNorway43Eyewitness observation of water height

More

Every tsunami in 1987The 1900sTsunamis of NorwayThis 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 4237.