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NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, 2100 BC to Present

browse graphicMaps showing tsunami events and tsunami runups and locations.
The Global Historical Tsunami Database provides information on over 2,400 tsunamis from 2100 BC to the present in the the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; and the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. The database includes two related files. The first file includes information on the tsunami source such as the date, time, and location of the source event; cause and validity of the source, tsunami magnitude and intensity; maximum water height; the total number of fatalities, injuries, houses destroyed, and houses damaged; and total damage estimate (in U.S. dollars). The second related file contains information on the runups (the locations where tsunami waves were observed by eyewitnesses, reconnaissance surveys, tide gauges, and deep-ocean sensors) such as name, location, arrival time, maximum water height and inundation distance, and socio-economic data (deaths, injuries, damage) for the specific runup location.
  • Cite as: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service: NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7 [access date]
gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.hazards:G02151
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Search Data
  • Tsunami Event Database (search)
    Provides information on the tsunami source including date, time, event location, magnitude of the phenomenon, maximum wave height, and socio-economic information such as the total number of fatalities and dollar damage estimates if available. If the tsunami source was an earthquake or volcanic eruption, it is flagged and linked to the related database.
  • Tsunami Runup Database (search)
    Provides information on locations where tsunami waves were observed by eyewitnesses, post-tsunami field surveys, tide gauges, or deep ocean sensors. Includes the maximum wave height, inundation distance, and number of fatalities or dollar damage estimates at the specific location if available.
  • Natural Hazards Map Viewer (search)
    Tsunami source and runup locations, significant earthquake epicenters, significant volcanic eruption locations.
Download Data
  • Tsunami Event Database (download)
    Provides information on the tsunami source including date, time, event location, magnitude of the phenomenon, maximum wave height, and socio-economic information such as the total number of fatalities and dollar damage estimates if available. If the tsunami source was an earthquake or volcanic eruption, it is flagged and linked to the related database.
  • Tsunami Runup Database (download)
    Provides information on locations where tsunami waves were observed by eyewitnesses, post-tsunami field surveys, tide gauges, or deep ocean sensors. Includes the maximum wave height, inundation distance, and number of fatalities or dollar damage estimates at the specific location if available.
Distribution Formats
  • TSV
Distributor Hazards Data Manager
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
haz.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Nicolas Arcos
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
(303) 497-3158
haz.info@noaa.gov
Time Period -2100 to Present
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West:-180
East:180
South:-63
North:71
Spatial Coverage Map
Dataset Information
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database, 2150 BC to Present
  • NCEI/WDS Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, 4360 BC to Present
  • NCEI/WDS Global Tsunami Deposits Database
  • Size of great earthquakes of 1837-1974 inferred from tsunami data.
  • Magnitudes of Large Shallow Earthquakes from 1904 to 1980.
  • Preliminary Catalog of Tsunamis Occurring in the Pacific Ocean
Publication Dates
  • publication: 1974-01-01
Data Presentation Form mapDigital
Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Ongoing - data is continually being updated
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose These data are necessary for tsunami hazard assessments, mitigation efforts, and warning guidance.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service: NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7 [access date]
Originators
  • National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS)
Points of Contact
  • Nicolas Arcos
    DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Tsunamis
INFOTERRA Keyword Thesaurus
  • Disasters > Catastrophic Phenomena > Tsunami
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Global
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System
Use Constraints
  • While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Access Constraints
  • Access to this dataset is unrestricted.
Other Constraints Cite as: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service: NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7 [access date]
Fees
  • Free online
Lineage information for:dataset
Lineage Statement First computerized tsunami database started in 1970s with ascii files with descriptions that were separate to eventually searchable ascii and finally databases. In 1980s, NGDC began compilation of quantitative tsunami data from all available catalogs and special studies of tsunamis. In the 1908s the original database only covered the Pacific. The current NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database includes two related tables: global observations of tsunami sources and tsunami runup records (locations where tsunami waves were observed by eyewitnesses, field reconnaissance surveys, tide gauges or deep-ocean sensors). The historical database incorporates, where available, maximum tsunami wave heights for each coastal tide gauge and deep-ocean buoy that recorded a tsunami signal. The database is now updated regularly from sources such as NOAA Tsunami Warning Centers, NOAA National Data Buoy Center, NOAA National Ocean Service, UNESCO/IOC-NOAA International Tsunami Information Center, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, national and government databases and reports, tsunami catalogs, post-event reconnaissance reports, journal articles, newspapers, internet sources, email, and other written documents.
Processor
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Source Datasets
Lineage information for:repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 -NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Last Modified: 2024-09-10
For questions about the information on this page, please email:haz.info@noaa.gov