Tsunami - July 1995, Chile

On the 30 July 1995 a Richter magnitude 7.3 earthquake generated a tsunami that propagated across the Pacific Ocean and struck as far away as Japan¹.

The peak to trough height of the wave was recorded at 280cm at Antofagasta and a 2-3 metre high wave was recorded at Tahauku Bay, Hiva Oa in the Maequesas islands over 7,000 km away².

Little damage was caused, however, because the quake occurred on a winters night when the tides were low. If it had occurred on a summers day when people were at the beach then loss of life would have been considerable².

¹ Tunioka, Y & Okada, M. 1997. Numerical modelling of trans-Pacific tsunamis: The 1995 Chilean, the 1996 Aleutian and the 1996 Iranian Jaya tsunamis. The International Journal of the Tsunami Society. Vol. 15, pp 67-80

² Ramirez, J, Titichoca, H, Lander J.F & Whiteside L.S. 1997. The minor destructive tsunami occurring near Antofasgasta, Northern Chile, July 30, 1995. The International Journal of the Tsunami Society. Vol. 15, pp 3-22