PlainHazard

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

The data below is historical (NOAA Storm Events / FEMA), not a live alert. For current warnings and evacuation orders, check the National Weather Service, Ready.gov, or FEMA.gov.

Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database

Tsunami in the United States

National statistics for tsunami events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.

39
Events recorded
0
Fatalities
$21.0M
Property damage
6
States affected

How dangerous are Tsunami events in the U.S.?

NOAA's Storm Events Database has catalogued 39 tsunami events across 6 states and territories between 2015 and 2025. The cumulative human toll is 0 fatalities and 0 injuries, and the financial footprint reaches $21.0M in combined property ($21.0M) and crop ($0) damage. On a per-fatality basis this places tsunami events at a low severity tier relative to other tracked hazard types in the NOAA catalog.

Where this hazard actually strikes varies sharply by region. The three states absorbing the largest share of events are CA (15 events, 0 fatalities), AS (12 events, 0 fatalities), OR (4 events, 0 fatalities), a pattern driven more by climatology than by any one state's vulnerability. At the other end, states such as AK, WA, HI report far fewer events, often reflecting hazard climatology rather than underreporting.

The annual record is uneven rather than steadily rising or falling. The peak year on record was 2025, logging 20 events and $2.0M in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 20 events recorded. Across the full 3-year window, annual event counts reflect natural year-to-year noise given how infrequently this hazard is recorded at all.

How to interpret this data

NOAA storm event data is filed by local National Weather Service forecast offices, so reporting intensity can vary by jurisdiction and should be interpreted alongside FEMA disaster declarations for a fuller picture.

For household and business preparedness, this state-and-year view should be paired with local-level FEMA National Risk Index ratings, flood-zone maps where applicable, and up-to-date NWS watch/warning information, population exposure and asset value matter as much as raw event frequency for estimating real-world risk.

Tsunami by State

# State EventsFatalitiesProperty Damage
1 California CA 15 0 $21.0M
2 American Samoa AS 12 0 $0
3 Oregon OR 4 0 $0
4 Alaska AK 4 0 $0
5 Washington WA 2 0 $0
6 Hawaii HI 2 0 $40.0K

Tsunami by Year

Year Events Fatalities Injuries Property Damage
2025 20 0 0 $2.0M
2022 18 0 0 $19.0M
2015 1 0 0 $0

Related Guides

Preparing for Natural Disasters

Essential steps to prepare your household for common natural hazards.

Hazard Risk by Region

How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.

Climate Change & Disasters

How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tsunami events have occurred in the US?
The NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 39 tsunami events across 6 states from 2015 to 2025. These events caused 0 fatalities and 0 injuries.
Which states are most affected by tsunami events?
The states most affected by tsunami include CA (15 events), AS (12 events), OR (4 events). These three states account for a significant share of all recorded tsunami incidents in the US.
How much damage do tsunami events cause?
Tsunami events have caused an estimated $21.0M in combined property and crop damage from 2015 to 2025. Property damage alone accounts for $21.0M, with crop damage at $0.
What year had the most tsunami events?
The year with the most recorded tsunami events was 2025, with 20 events resulting in 0 fatalities and $2.0M in property damage.
How dangerous are tsunami events?
Tsunami events have a low severity rating based on 0 fatalities and 0 injuries recorded from 2015 to 2025 across 6 states. Preparedness and early warning systems are critical for reducing risk.
Which states have the fewest tsunami events?
The states with the fewest tsunami events include AK (4 events), WA (2 events), HI (2 events). Geographic and climatic factors largely determine regional vulnerability to this hazard type.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →

Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA →

Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.