March 28, 2005 Tsunami: Indonesia
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.6 earthquake began at Indonesia on March 28, 2005 at 16:09:36 UTC. The water rose as high as 4.2 meters. Its effects were recorded at 76 places in at least 12 countries. It killed 1,319 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
- March 28, 2005, 16:09:36 UTC
- Source
- Indonesia
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 8.6, 30 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 4.2 m (13.8 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 76
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 2.085° N, 97.108° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 16; 1,319 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Injuries
- 340 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million); Extreme (about $25 million or more) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- 300 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.
A 3 meter tsunami damaged the port and airport on Simeulue. Tsunami runup heights as high as 2 meters were observed on the west coast of Nias and 1 meter at Singkil and Meulaboh, Sumatra. At least 10 people were killed during evacuation of the coast of Sri Lanka. Tsunami wave heights (peak-to-trough) recorded from selected tide stations: about 40 cm on Panjang, Indonesia; about 25 cm at Colombo, Sri Lanka; 40 cm on Hanimadu, 18 cm at Male and 10 cm at Gan, Maldives. Initial observations indicate about 1 meter of subsidence on the coast of Kepulauan Banyak as well as 1 meter of uplift on the coast of Simeulue. Seiches were observed on ponds in West Bengal, India. (reference #1053)
[in Madagascar] the response of the population to the tsunami alert was generally erratic and often disastrous. Most coastal residents sought to evacuate over excessive distances, in motor vehicles, and often along the main available road, i.e., in a direction parallel to the coastline, which is obviously inefficient in terms of evacuation. As a result, there was chaos in densely populated areas such as Toamasina, where the gendarmerie reported numerous traffic accidents, with six fatalities. (reference #4288)
Note: all tsunami deaths (10 Sri Lanka, 6 Madagascar) attributed are indirect deaths; occurred during evacuation in distant locations (i.e., greater than 1000 km from the source location).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulau Bangkaru, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 1 | 3.5 | 69 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Bangkaru, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 1 | 3.5 | 69 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Bangkaru, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 1 | 3.05 | 85 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Bangkaru, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 2 | 1 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Banyak Island | Indonesia | 18 | 2.6 | 60 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Tuangku, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 18 | 3 | 30 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Tuangku, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 18 | 2.5 | 34 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Tuangku, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 18 | 0.1 | 51 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Tuangku, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 18 | 2.5 | 34 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Teluk Mariabah, Pulau Tuangku | Indonesia | 25 | 3.3 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Pulau Tuangku, Banyak Islands | Indonesia | 25 | 1.3 | 28 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Babi | Indonesia | 55 | 0.7 | 295 | Flow depth, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Babi | Indonesia | 55 | 2 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Babi | Indonesia | 55 | 2 | 140 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Babi | Indonesia | 55 | 2.3 | 179 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Sarangbuang | Indonesia | 56 | 0.5 | 88 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Sarangbuang | Indonesia | 56 | 0.9 | 4 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Sarangbuang | Indonesia | 57 | 64 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Humanga Beach, Nias | Indonesia | 72 | 2 | 30 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Humanga Beach, Nias | Indonesia | 72 | 1.8 | 69 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Labuhan Aceh, Nias | Indonesia | 75 | |||||
| Singkil-Baru, Sumatra | Indonesia | 78 | 1 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Labuhan Bakti, Simeulue | Indonesia | 79 | 2.5 | 300 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Singkil | Indonesia | 81 | 1.5 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Singkil | Indonesia | 81 | 2.3 | 21 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Afulu, Nias doubtful | Indonesia | 92 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||||
| Busung Bay, Simeulue | Indonesia | 92 | 3.3 | 131 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Busung Bay, Simeulue | Indonesia | 93 | 4.2 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Busung Bay, Simeulue | Indonesia | 93 | 2.6 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Busung Bay, Simeulue | Indonesia | 93 | 4.2 | 100 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Simeulue Island | Indonesia | 95 | 3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Nias Island, Sumatra | Indonesia | 130 | 4 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Pulau Asu | Indonesia | 132 | 0.2 | 14 | Flow depth, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Pulau Asu | Indonesia | 132 | 3.4 | 94 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Kariya Bakti, Simeulue | Indonesia | 157 | 1.7 | 37 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Kariya Bakti, Simeulue | Indonesia | 157 | 1.5 | 64 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Langi, Simeulue | Indonesia | 171 | 1 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 180 | 3.6 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 180 | 2.2 | 225 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 180 | 3.3 | 163 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 180 | 2.5 | 179 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 180 | 2 | 255 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 181 | 3.5 | 255 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 181 | 3.3 | 574 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lagundri Bay, Nias | Indonesia | 182 | 150 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Sibolga, Sumatra | Indonesia | 191 | 1.18 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Meulaboh, Sumatra | Indonesia | 254 | 1 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Kuala Meurisi, Sumatra | Indonesia | 324 | 2.1 | 200 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lhok Leum Pang, Sumatra | Indonesia | 337 | 1 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | |||
| Panjang, SE. Sumatra | Indonesia | 1,232 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Cocos Island (Keeling) | Australia | 1,571 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 18:06 | ||
| Kirinda | Sri Lanka | 1,809 | 1.35 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 19:05 | ||
| Colombo | Sri Lanka | 1,988 | 0.26 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 19:34 | 10 | |
| Male | Maldives | 2,632 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 19:50 | ||
| Gan | Maldives | 2,684 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 19:50 | ||
| Hanimaadhoo, Haa Dhaalu | Maldives | 2,706 | 0.21 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 20:16 | ||
| Carnarvon | Australia | 3,479 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:20 | ||
| Geraldton | Australia | 3,889 | 0.2 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:10 | ||
| Jurien Bay | Australia | 4,058 | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 21:45 | ||
| Hillarys Harbour | Australia | 4,237 | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:14 | ||
| Fremantle | Australia | 4,260 | 0.16 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 21:45 | ||
| Bunbury | Australia | 4,372 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:15 | ||
| Port Geographe (Busselton) | Australia | 4,394 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:20 | ||
| Rodrigues Island, Port Mathurin | Mauritius | 4,398 | 0.26 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 21:53 | ||
| Pointe LA Rue, Mahe Island | Seychelles | 4,685 | 0.27 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 23:28 | ||
| Esperance | Australia | 4,753 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 01:45 | ||
| Port Louis Harbour | Mauritius | 4,974 | 0.21 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 22:46 | ||
| Salalah | Oman | 4,993 | 0.43 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 28, 23:50 | ||
| Sainte Marie | Reunion (French Territory) | 5,198 | 0.3 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Reunion | Reunion (French Territory) | 5,220 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Saint Gilles | Reunion (French Territory) | 5,231 | 0.4 | Eyewitness observation of water height | |||
| Toamasina | Madagascar | 5,686 | Eyewitness observation of water height | 6 | |||
| Lamu | Kenya | 6,273 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 01:18 | ||
| Zanzibar | Tanzania | 6,503 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 29, 02:08 | ||
| Spring Bay, Tasmania | Australia | 7,093 | 0.2 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Syowa Station (Japan) | Antarctica | 8,985 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2005The 2000sTsunamis of IndonesiaThe 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 2487.