Historical Tsunami Effects near the Tonga Trench from 1837-2015

American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga are vulnerable to large locally and regionally sourced tsunamis, and also to tsunamis generated around the Pacific Ocean. The NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and collocated World Data Service for Geophysics (WDS) provides long-term archive, data management, and access to national and global tsunami data. The Global Historical Tsunami Database includes information on the tsunami source, maximum wave heights, and effects such as deaths and damage. The UNESCO/IOC - NOAA International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC) has worked in collaboration with the NCEI/WDS to collect post-tsunami event information since its inception in 1965. Examination of the NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database reveals that the earliest confirmed historical account of a tsunami impacting any of the three island groups was generated November 07, 1837. A wave generated by an earthquake off the Southern Chilean coast was observed in Apia (Samoa), Pago Pago (American Samoa) and the Vava'u Group (Tonga). Since that time, 69 confirmed tsunamis (validity ≥3) were observed in American Samoa, 46 confirmed observed tsunamis in Samoa and 21 confirmed observed tsunamis in Tonga. This includes the 2009 Samoa tsunami that caused approximately $300 million in damage and a total of 192 deaths in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.