April 22, 1991 Tsunami: Limon, Pandora, Costa Rica

The earthquake created a tsunami that affected the coast of Central America from north of Limon, Costa Rica, to Panama. Lander et al. (Reference #1315) says, "This was a back-arc tsunami that occurred on the opposite side of Costa Rica from the main subduction zone in the Pacific eastern edge."

There were no seismographers in the region in 1991 (“Terremoto En Limon,” 1991) and the tide gauge in Limon was not working that day [...] this tsunami might have caused three or four deaths. (reference #12928)

A small tsunami (tsunami magnitude, m ~ 1) was observed following the 22 April 1991 Mw 7.7 Limon, Costa Rica earthquake along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama. [...] No emergency warnings were issued before the tsunami occurred. While little or no tsunami-related property damage was reported, two or more drownings were attributed to the tsunami. The maximum runup/wave height was reported to be 2 to 3 m, and inundation and coastal flooding extended up to 100 m inland in some locations. Both coseismic coastal uplift and the presence of fringing offshore reefs appear to have provided protection against major runup effects in some coastal areas. Elsewhere, runup effects were amplified at river mouths due to differential compaction of unconsolidated sediments. Widespread tsunami sand deposition near the Costa Rica-Panama border in 1991 is similar to deposition associated with the 7 May 1822 earthquake and tsunami. (reference #12958)