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Lisbon, Portugal
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 9
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 20,000 people
The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 is often called the “big” or “great” one of the most devastating earthquakes in the history of mankind. -
Krakatoa, Sundra
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 8
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: over 36,000
It destroyed 165 villages . -
Aleutians (Alaska earthquake) , Hawaii islands
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 8.1
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 160
The wave reached Kauai, Hawaii 4.5 hours after the quake, and Hilo, Hawaii 4.9 hours later. -
Chile Earthquake, Hawaii
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 9.5
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 61
It traveled for 15 hours over the pacific. -
Alaska Earthquake, Alaska and California
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 9.2
Death toll from the resultant tsunami:130
It was caused by the sudden failure of a fault, or fracture, 20 to 50 kilometers below the surface. -
Sea of Japan, Okushiri Japan
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 7.8
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 120
As the monster wave hit the smaller outlying Okushiri, at least five boats moored in the island's Aonae Harbor simultaneously burst into flames. -
Papua New Guinea
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 7.1
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 2100
The earthquake struck the north coast region of Papua New Guinea, 16 miles from the coast near Aitape, and caused a large undersea landslide, which in turn caused a tsunami that hit the coast. -
Sumatra earthquake, Indonesia
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 9.1
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 230,000
The tsunami generated by the earthquake was recorded nearly world-wide and killed more people than any other tsunami in recorded history, almost 230,000 missing and presumed dead. -
Samoa earthquake
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 8.1
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 200
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center recorded a 3-inch rise in sea. -
Chile earthquake
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 8.8
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 700
The earthquake occurred at the destructive plate margin where the South American plate is subducted by the Nazca Plate. The earthquake was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks. -
Japan Tsunami
Magnitude of the Earthquake: 9.2
Death toll from the resultant tsunami: 20,000
The most powerful earthquake recorded in Japan since 1900, when seismic recording devices were first used, and it is the fourth most powerful ever detected worldwide.