December 8, 2016 Tsunami: Solomon Islands
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake began at Solomon Islands on December 8, 2016 at 17:38:46 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.43 meters. Its effects were recorded at 13 places in at least 4 countries. It killed 1 person, 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
- December 8, 2016, 17:38:46 UTC
- Source
- Solomon Islands
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 7.8, 40 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.43 m (1.4 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 13
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 10.681° S, 161.327° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 1 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- 191 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- 126 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.
According to witness reports, the sea initially rose and pulled canoes out to sea and continued to surge in and out, leaving reefs completely exposed between surges... The National Disaster Management Office said communities on Makira's southwestern coast have confirmed that a tsunami reached the island and alerts have been broadcast around the country. (reference #11703)
About 7000 people across three provinces are reported to have been affected by the recent earthquakes in the Solomon Islands. Disaster authorities said around 200 buildings had been destroyed or damaged in the provinces of Makira & Ulawa, Malaita and Guadalcanal... Some dwellings were also hit by waves generated by Friday's 7-point-8 magnitude quake and Saturday's 6-point-9 aftershock. (reference #11705)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makira Island (San Cristobal) | Solomon Islands | 26 | Eyewitness observation of water height | ||||
| Honiara, Guadalcanal | Solomon Islands | 204 | 0.12 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Lata Wharf, Nendo Is, Santa Cruz Is | Solomon Islands | 490 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 8, 18:26 | ||
| D55012 Bpr, Coral Sea | Papua New Guinea | 644 | 0.03 | Deep ocean gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Luganville | Vanuatu | 831 | 0.18 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Litzlitz, Malekula Island | Vanuatu | 894 | 0.25 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 8, 19:27 | ||
| Port Vila, Efate Island | Vanuatu | 1,086 | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Hienghene | New Caledonia | 1,174 | 0.43 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Lenakel, Tanna | Vanuatu | 1,298 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 8, 19:31 | ||
| Lifou Island | New Caledonia | 1,300 | 0.1 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Thio | New Caledonia | 1,319 | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Ouinne | New Caledonia | 1,375 | 0.14 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Uitoe, Noumea | New Caledonia | 1,384 | 0.01 | Deep ocean gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2016The 2000sTsunamis of Solomon IslandsThe 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 5630.