December 25, 2010 Tsunami: Vanuatu Islands
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake began at Vanuatu Islands on December 25, 2010 at 13:16:37 UTC. The water rose as high as 4.1 meters. Its effects were recorded at 12 places in at least 3 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
- December 25, 2010, 13:16:37 UTC
- Source
- Vanuatu Islands
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.3, 16 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 4.1 m (13.5 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 12
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 19.702° S, 167.947° E
The toll
- Injuries
- 4
- 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.
The quake generated a local tsunami that struck most of the western coastline of Tanna. No fatality occurred; 4 people were injured, 3 boats were displaced, 1 boat sank and few canoes displaced. (reference #12086)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Grass, Tanna | Vanuatu | 137 | 2.1 | 133 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Evergreen, Tanna | Vanuatu | 137 | 3.05 | 227 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lamkail, Tanna | Vanuatu | 137 | 1.8 | 92 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Epak, Tanna | Vanuatu | 140 | 4.1 | 192 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lenakel, Tanna | Vanuatu | 140 | 1.7 | 65 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lenami, Tanna | Vanuatu | 140 | 2.15 | 125 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Lenafa, Tanna | Vanuatu | 141 | 3.4 | 210 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Iwiwon, Tanna | Vanuatu | 141 | 3.15 | 148 | Runup height, post-tsunami survey | ||
| Port Vila, Efate Island | Vanuatu | 219 | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 25, 13:34 | ||
| Lautoka | Fiji | 1,028 | 0.03 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 25, 15:27 | ||
| Suva, King'S Wharf | Fiji | 1,117 | 0.02 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 25, 15:22 | ||
| Spring Bay, Tasmania | Australia | 3,154 | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 25, 20:45 |
More
Every tsunami in 2010The 2000sTsunamis of VanuatuThe 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 5403.