February 21, 1991 Tsunami: Bering Sea, AK, United States
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake began at Bering Sea, AK, United States on February 21, 1991 at 02:35:34 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.15 meters. Its effects were recorded at 2 places.
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
- February 21, 1991, 02:35:34 UTC
- Source
- Bering Sea, AK, United States
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.7, 20 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.15 m (0.5 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 2
- Tsunami magnitude (Iida)
- -1.7
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 58.427° N, 175.450° 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.
1991, Feb 21. A 6.5 Ms (USGS) earthquake at 02:36 UT in the Bering Sea was felt on St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands and at Adak, Andreanof Islands. It caused a small tsunami. This is the first earthquake of record from this region to have caused a tsunami. It was recorded with heights of 30 cm at Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, and 22 cm at Sweeper Cove. Adak.
Validity 4. (reference #1315)
1991, Feb 21. A small tsunami was generated with maximum wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 30 m at Dutch Harbor and 22 cm at Adak. (reference #1053)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adak, Sweeper Cove, AK, AK | United States | 735 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, AK, AK | United States | 749 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1991The 1900sTsunamis of United StatesThe 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 2201.