August 4, 2003 Tsunami: Scotia Sea, Antarctica
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake began at Scotia Sea, Antarctica on August 4, 2003 at 04:37:20 UTC. 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
- August 4, 2003, 04:37:20 UTC
- Source
- Scotia Sea, Antarctica
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.6, 10 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 60.532° S, 43.411° W
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 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.
Reference #12902:
This earthquake produced a tectonic tsunami, which was attenuated by the presence of the extensive layer of sea ice (“pack-ice”) that surrounded the islands.
[...] earthquake caused the tsunami that affected the coast of Uruguay Bay in the vicinity of the Orcadas Scientific Station (Argentina), located on Laurie Island.
Although this tsunami was reported in time by the Base personnel, it was not the object of immediate public communication and the photographs of the event remained unpublished for some time (Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8).
The Mw = 7.6 earthquake, whose epicenter was located about 71 km to the ENE of the South Orkney Islands, in Antarctica, on August 4, 2003, produced a tectonic tsunami that was attenuated by the presence of sea ice from 2 m thick that surrounded the islands.
Note: unofficial translation from original Spanish
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurie, South Orkney Islands | Argentina | 76 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey |
More
Every tsunami in 2003The 2000sTsunamis of AntarcticaThe 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 5774.