January 13, 1966 Eruption of Tinakula

Name: January 13, 1966 Eruption of Tinakula
Start: 1966-01-13
Location: Tinakula, Solomon Islands

January 13, 1966 · VEI 3

Tinakula in the Solomon Islands erupted on January 13, 1966 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It caused a tsunami.

Where it erupted

Tinakula, Solomon Islands, with its other significant eruptions.

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The eruption

Date: January 13, 1966
Volcano: Tinakula, stratovolcano
Country: Solomon Islands
Volcanic Explosivity Index: 3, moderate to large (eruption column 3 to 15 km)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Location: 10.386° S, 165.804° E

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this eruption.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3,

Area of Activity: Upper NW flank.

Eruptive Characteristics:

Flank (excentric) vent,

Explosive eruption,

Phreatic explosion(s),

Lava flow(s),

Tsunami (giant sea waves),

Evacuation,

Debris avalanche(s). (reference #2432)

1966. Tinakula. Ocean entry by landslide from small failure near summit. Small local waves only. (reference #10446, p. 536)

Other significant eruptions of Tinakula

Every eruption in 1966 The 1900s Tinakula Earthquakes near Tinakula This day in weather history

Sources

Volcanoes and significant eruptions 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. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 2234.