On 30 September 1899 the island of Ceram, Dutch East Indies, was struck by an Ms 7.8 earthquake which was accompanied by a 10-meter landslide-induced tsunami.

[3] The study about the quake and its effects was published by Dr. R. D. M. Verbeek in an article named Short Report about the earth- and sea-quake in Ceram, the 30th September 1899, which serves as the only extensive source on this earthquake.

These calculations were confirmed by visual inspection of the mountain rocks, which showed signs of fracture and breaking due to the quake.

[3] Like at Piru-bay, the most severe damage was suffered on the east-side of the bay (Paulohy-Samasuru and Mani were the only west-side villages that were struck).

This case study tries to give an overview of the cause and impact of the 1899 earthquake and tsunami, indexing the specifics of the natural disaster for the entire Ceram area.

Dutch scholarly presence in the Indies was therefore not merely scientific, but also part of a colonial effort based on the idea of a 'Greater Holland'.