National Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA/NWS

Samoa Islands Region Tsunami of 29 September 2009

An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 8.0 (USGS Magnitude) occurred at 1748 UTC 29 September 2009 (day 272) and was located in the Samoa Island Region (15.56 S, 172.07 W, 18 km depth - USGS location).


This earthquake produced a tsunami that was recorded at tide gages monitored at the Tsunami Warning Centers. Many observatories provide data to the centers; such as the NOAA National Ocean Service, the U. of Hawaii Sea Level Center, the Chilean Navy, and the National Tidal Facility in Australia among others. Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami, when available. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of arrival computed at the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between samples.

For additional information about this tsunami event see the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's homepage, the USGS Samoa web page and the International Tsunami Information Center's site.

 

Travel Time Map
(click to enlarge)

Maximum Amplitude Graph
(click to enlarge)

 

Tide gage

Peak amplitude (above sea level in cm)

Observed Initial Arrival time (UTC)

Computed Initial Arrival time (UTC)

Initial motion

Sample Interval (min)

Data File (Julian Day Starts at  0000 UTC)

Pago Pago, American Samoa

216

1802   9-29-09

1806   9-29-09

rise

1

272 273

Apia, Samoa

78

1807

1819

rise

1

272 273

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

15

1900

1853

6

272 273

Funafuti Is., Tuvalu

2.4

1933

6

272 273

Suva, Fiji

9

2000

1956

rise

6

272 273

Penrhyn Is., Cook Islands

9

2015

2006

fall

1

272 273

Papeete, French Polynesia

15

2102

2053

rise

1

272 273

Lautoka, Fiji

6

2055

2059

rise

1

272 273

Port Vila, Vanuatu

17.5

2145

2137

rise

1

272 273

Chatham Is., New Zealand

32

2211

2202

rise

1

272 273

Honiara, Solomon Is.

2.5

2225

1

272 273

Rikitea, French Polynesia

12

2317

2256

rise

1

272 273

Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI

20

2332

2320

rise

1

272 273

Kawaihae, HI

28

2338

2321

rise

1

272 273

Honolulu, Oahu, HI

18

2335

2321

rise

1

272 273

Wake Island, USA

6

0001 9-30-09

2321

1

272 273

Hilo, HI

17

0005

2329

fall

1

272 273

Kahului, Maui, HI

36

0022

2349

fall

1

272 273

Midway Is., USA

23

0010

2355

1

272 273

Jackson Bay, New Zealand

20

0000    9-30-09

6

272 273

Saipan, N. Marianas

5.5

0108

1

273

Amchitka, AK

10.5

0308

15 sec

273

Atka, AK

7

0313

1

273

Adak, AK

10

0425

0326

rise

1

273

Ofunato, Japan

16

0330

1

273

Hanasaki, Japan

8

0338

1

273

Shemya, AK

14

0421

0339

rise

15 sec

273

Nikolski, AK

6

0341

1

273

Arena Cove, CA

44

0415

0358

rise

1

273

Port San Luis, CA

28

0430

0407

?

1

273

Point Reyes, CA

39.4

0450

0402

rise

1

273

Santa Barbara, CA

25

0411

1

273

Los Angeles, CA

13

0415

1

273

Ishigakijima, Japan

4.0

0418

1

273

Santa Monica, CA

15

0439

0420

rise

1

273

Crescent City, CA

33

0444

0420

rise

1

273

Port Orford, OR

22

0442

0421

rise

1

273

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

21.1

0443

0421

rise

1

273

San Francisco, CA

10

0448

0431

rise

1

273

King Cove, AK

13

0432

1

273

Charleston, OR

13

0500

0432

rise

1

273

South Beach, OR

8.3

0527

0452

rise

1

273

Winter Harbor, BC, Canada

7.1

0522

0452

rise

1

273

Garibaldi, OR

3.6

0454

1

273

Langara Point, BC, Canada

7

0454

1

273

La Push, WA

16.8

0542

0506

rise

1

273

Manzanillo, Mexico

61.5

0536

0506

1

273

Port Alexander, AK

12

0601

0507

1

273

Tofino, BC, Canada

7.3

0545

0512

rise

1

273

West Port, WA

8

0512

1

273

Neah Bay, WA

3.8

0513

1

273

Old Harbor, AK

5.7

0501

0514

15 sec

273

Astoria, OR

2.5

0528

1

273

Seward, AK

2.0

0534

1

273

Yakutat, AK

8

0612

0539

1

273

Alitak, AK

2.3

0539

1

273

Port Angles, WA

9

0641

0550

1

273

Craig, AK

2

0558

15 sec

273

Juan Fernandez, Chile

13

0649

0628

2

273

Baltra, Ecuador

13.4

0628

1

273

San Felix, Chile

22.6

0711

0650

2

273

Corral, Chile

10.8

0653

2

273

Valparaiso, Chile

20

0805

0724

2

273

Talcahuano, Chile

18.5

0755

0724

fall

2

273

Coquimbo, Chile

31.0

0802

0737

fall

2

273

Caldera, Chile

39.7

0823

0749

2

273

Callao LaPunta, Peru

32.1

0758

6

273

Antofagasta, Chile

36.6

0839

0818

2

273

Iquique, Chile

24

0926

0833

2

273

Arica, Chile

26.4

0949

0844

2

273

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