West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA/NWS

Tsunami of 15 November 2006

A great earthquake with a moment magnitude of 8.3 occurred at 1114 UTC 15 November 2006 (day 319) and was located near the Kuril Islands (46.577°N, 153.247°E, 26.7km depth - USGS location).

The 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 Japanese Meteorological Agency, 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 peak-to-trough height in cm. 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 (WC/ATWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between samples.

For additional information about this tsunami see PMEL's Tsunami Research Web Page and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's homepage .

Travel Time Map (click to enlarge)

Tide gage	Peak Wave height       (cm, p-t)	Observed Initial Arrival time (UTC)	Computed Initial Arrival time (UTC)	Initial motion	Sample Interval (min)	Data File (Julian Day Starts at  0000 UTC)
Adak, Alaska	39	1423	1423	rise	1	319 320
Amchitka, Alaska	55	1337		rise	.25	319 320
King Cove, Alaska	36			?	1	319 320
Nikolski, Alaska	32			rise	1	319 320
Sand Point, Alaska	21		1615	?	.25	319 320
Seward, Alaska	5		1729	?	1	319 320
Shemya, Alaska	92	1320	1324	rise	.25	319 320
Sitka, Alaska	25		1743	?	1	319 320
Yakutat, Alaska	5.8	1740	1742	fall	1	319 320
Pago Pago, Amer. Samoa	37	2100	2043	fall	1	319 320
Arena Cove, California	118	1930	1939	rise	1	319 320
Crescent City, California	176	1945	1938	?	1	319 320
Humbolt Bay, California	10		1938	rise	1	319 320
La Jolla, California	25	2055	2054	fall	1	319 320
Los Angeles, California	22			?	1	319 320
Point Reyes, California	62	1950	1951	rise	1	319 320
Port San Luis, California	115		2018	rise	1	319 320
Richmond, California	17			?	1
San Diego, California	18			?	1	319 320
San Francisco, California	30	2020	2023	rise	1	319 320
Santa Barbara, California	79		2033	?	1	319 320
Santa Monica, California	30	2122	2046	fall	1	319 320
Antofagasta, Chile	46			?	6
Arica, Chile	82		0700 11/16	?	6	320 321
Caldera, Chile	76			fall	6	320 321
Coquimbo, Chile	75			?	6	320 321
Iquique, Chile	64	0730 11/16	0703 11/16	fall	6	320 321
Juan Fernandez Is, Chile	40	0730 11/16	0715 11/16	rise	6	320 321
Talcahuano, Chile	97			?	6	320 321
Rarotonga, Cook Is	18		2212		6	319 320
Lautoka, Fiji	3.3		2113	?	6	319 320
Nuku Hiva, Fr. Polynesia	88		2233		6
Baltra Is. Galapagos	62	0330 11/16	0324 11/16	rise	2
Santa Cruz, Galapagos	67			?	4
Hilo, Hawaii	98	1803	1806	rise	1	319 320
Honolulu, Hawaii	34	1740	1745	fall	1	319 320
Kahului Maui, Hawaii	152	1751	1757	rise	1	319 320
Nawiliwili Kauai, Hawaii	88	1723	1723	rise	1	319 320
Hachinohe, Japan	60	1311		?
Hakodate, Japan	40	1316		?
Hanasaki, Japan	80	1229	1222	rise	1	319 320
Kushiro, Japan	40	1243		?
Naha, Japan	13		1546	?	1	319 320
Ofunato, Japan	83	1305	1248	rise	1	319 320
Omaezaki, Japan	16	1310	1305	?	1	319 320
Tokachiko, Japan	120	1249		?
Tosa-Shimizu, Japan	80		1446	?	1	319 320
Kanton, Kiribati	6		1912	?	4
Kwajalein, Marshall Is.	28	1650	1650	rise	1	319 320
Midway Island	96	1525	1521	rise	1	319 320
Nauru, Nauru	11		1808	?	6	319 320
Jackson Bay, NZ	21	0120 11/16	0120 11/16	fall	6
Niue, Niue	13		2122	?	6
Astoria, Oregon	6.6		2003	?	1	319 320
Charleston, Oregon	38		1931	rise	1	319 320
Port Orford, Oregon	112			?	1	319 320
South Beach , OR	34	1945	1941	?	1	319 320
Manus, P.N.G.	13	1820	1818	fall	6	319 320
Atico, Peru	24			?	6
Callao-La Punta, Peru	73