July 16, 1990 Tsunami: W. Luzon Island, Philippines
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake began at W. Luzon Island, Philippines on July 16, 1990 at 07:26:34 UTC. The water rose as high as 2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 2,412 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
- July 16, 1990, 07:26:34 UTC
- Source
- W. Luzon Island, Philippines
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.8, 25 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 2 m (6.6 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Probable tsunami
- Source location
- 15.679° N, 121.172° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 2,412 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 3,000 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million); $369.6 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.
Despite the fact that the epicenter was on land, two-meter high waves were reported by local residents of Brgy. Darigayos in the town of Luna, province of La Union minutes after the main shock (Torres, 1990). The residents noted that the rise in water level was preceded by a lowering of the sea level and which almost exposed the embayment fronting their barangay. Smaller waves followed the first big wave. Seven boats and some nipa huts were damaged. La Union is about 100 km from epicenter. Tsunami probability is ranked as “positive”. (reference #10958)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darigayos, Luna | Philippines | 155 | 2 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1990The 1900sTsunamis of PhilippinesThe 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 5997.