March 19, 2009 Tsunami: Tonga
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake began at Tonga on March 19, 2009 at 18:17:40 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.15 meters. Its effects were recorded at 27 places in at least 12 countries.
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 19, 2009, 18:17:40 UTC
- Source
- Tonga
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.6, 34 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.15 m (0.5 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 27
- Warning
- Regional Tsunami Warning issued by PTWC for areas without a warning system
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 23.046° S, 174.659° 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.
A small tsunami was generated with wave heights (peak-to-trough, in cm.) at the following selected tide stations: 10.4 at Iquique, Chile; 17.3 at Rarotonga, Cook Islands; 5.7 at Suva, Fiji; 27.0 at Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands; 10.0 at Honolulu, 18.6 at Kahului and 9.4 at Nawiliwili, Hawaii; 20.3 at Nuku Hiva and 14.5 at Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands; 10.0 at
Napier, New Zealand; 8.7 at Niue; 22.8 at Callao, Peru; 10.7 at Port-Vila, Vanuatu. (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nukualofa (Nuku'Alofa) | Tonga | 218 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 18:51 | ||
| Niue | Niue | 662 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 19:00 | ||
| D51426 Bpr, 400 NM SE of Tonga | Tonga | 673 | 0.03 | Deep ocean gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 19:00 | ||
| Suva, King'S Wharf | Fiji | 903 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 19:59 | ||
| Pago Pago, American Samoa, AS | US Territories | 1,057 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Rarotonga | Cook Islands | 1,548 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 20:12 | ||
| Lottin Point | New Zealand | 1,749 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 22:31 | ||
| Port Vila, Efate Island | Vanuatu | 1,870 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 22:04 | ||
| Port Napier | New Zealand | 1,988 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 23:49 | ||
| Owenga, Chatham Island | New Zealand | 2,332 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 22:04 | ||
| Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands | French Polynesia | 4,002 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 23:38 | ||
| Rikitea, Mangareva Island | French Polynesia | 4,054 | 0.02 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 23:48 | ||
| Hiva Oa Island, Marquesas Islands | French Polynesia | 4,062 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 19, 23:32 | ||
| Kawaihae, Hawaii, HI, HI | United States | 5,186 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 00:15 | ||
| Honolulu, Oahu, HI, HI | United States | 5,234 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 00:58 | ||
| Kahului, Maui, HI, HI | United States | 5,246 | 0.09 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 02:30 | ||
| Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI, HI | United States | 5,247 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 01:14 | ||
| Corral | Chile | 9,300 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Santa Cruz Island | Ecuador | 9,404 | 0.14 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 08:14 | ||
| Baltra Island | Ecuador | 9,421 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 08:09 | ||
| Valparaiso | Chile | 9,773 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Coquimbo | Chile | 9,950 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 08:00 | ||
| Caldera | Chile | 10,138 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Callao LA Punta | Peru | 10,247 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 08:50 | ||
| La Libertad | Ecuador | 10,305 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Antofagasta | Chile | 10,346 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Iquique | Chile | 10,541 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 20, 09:04 |
More
Every tsunami in 2009The 2000sTsunamis of TongaThe 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 4312.