June 18, 2019 Tsunami: Niigata, Japan
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake began at Niigata, Japan on June 18, 2019 at 13:22:19 UTC. The water rose as high as 0.11 meters. Its effects were recorded at 8 places.
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
- June 18, 2019, 13:22:19 UTC
- Source
- Niigata, Japan
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.4, 12 km deep
- Maximum water height
- 0.11 m (0.4 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 8
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
- Source location
- 38.646° N, 139.472° E
The toll
- Injuries
- 28 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- 144 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.
The quake, which occurred at around 10:22 p.m. off the coast of Yamagata Prefecture, prompted the Meteorological Agency to issue tsunami advisories for coastal areas of Yamagata and Niigata prefectures and the Noto area in Ishikawa Prefecture. The agency estimated the possible tsunami's height to be as much as 1 meter. A 10-centimeter tsunami was reported at Niigata port just after midnight, but the Meteorological Agency lifted the tsunami advisories for all three prefectures at 1:02 a.m. (reference #12447)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nezugaseki | Japan | 11 | 0.11 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 18, 13:27 | ||
| Awashima | Japan | 27 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | day 18, 13:29 | ||
| Sakata | Japan | 42 | 0.05 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Niigatako (Nishi) | Japan | 87 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Sado-Shi Washizaki | Japan | 91 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Akitako | Japan | 148 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Kashiwazakiko | Japan | 164 | 0.04 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | |||
| Wajima | Japan | 265 | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2019The 2000sTsunamis of JapanThe 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 5712.