April 28, 1994 Tsunami: Western Norway
A tsunami caused by a landslide began at Western Norway on April 28, 1994 at 11:30 UTC. The water rose as high as 4 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
- April 28, 1994, 11:30 UTC
- Source
- Western Norway
- Cause
- Landslide
- Maximum water height
- 4 m (13.1 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Tsunami intensity (Soloviev-Imamura)
- 4
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 61.267° N, 6.583° E
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
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.
Avalanche in the fjord Vetlefjorden, Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane. Wave generated by 300 m wide avalanche. Upper part released 300 m above the sea level. Extensive flooding and material damage along fjord. Boats thrown 20 m on land. 4 m high wave in fjord. Tsunami intensity 4. (reference #4139)
1994 Apr 28 11:30, 61.267 N 6.583 E. Avalanche in the fjord Vetlefjorden, Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane. Wave generated by 300 m wide avalanche. Upper part released 300 m above the sea level. Extensive flooding and material damage along fjord. Boats thrown 20 m on land. 4 m high wave in fjord. (reference #11164)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balestrand | Norway | 15 | 4 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1994The 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 4249.