November 1, 1989 Tsunami: Puerto Rico, US Territories
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 4.4 earthquake began at Puerto Rico, US Territories on November 1, 1989 at 10:25:52 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.1 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
The tsunami
- Date
- November 1, 1989, 10:25:52 UTC
- Source
- Puerto Rico, US Territories
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 4.4, 26 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 18.986° N, 68.833° W
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.
A small wave was generated. The Puerto Rico Civil Defense reported a notable augmentation of the sea level in the area of Cabo Rojo, Bahia de Boqueron (Reference #92). Mercado (Reference #1683) received a report from an eyewitness, who had observed a small tsunami at Cabo Rojo.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Rojo, PR | US Territories | 204 | 0.1 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1989The 1900sTsunamis of US TerritoriesThe 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 2369.