Most Damaging Tsunamis

Libson Earthquake, Portugal

Nov 1, 1755

This deadly earthquake killed an estimated 20,000 people and the magnitude of the earthquake was 9. The earthquake lead to a tsunami that caused a great fire throughout Portugal. It happened on a holiday and many people were in church worshipping.

Krakatoa Eruption, Java/Sumatra

Aug 26, 1883

This devastating volcano eruption that ended up killing approximatly 36,000 people was caused by when the volcano erupted and a wall of water 120 feet tall was formed. When the volcano collapsed into the sea the wall of water was formed. It completely took out near by islands.

Aleutian Earthquake, Alaska

Apr 1, 1946

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and around 160 casualties. It caused $26 million in damage. It started deep under the sea on the ocean floor by the Aleutian Islands.

Great Chilean Earthquake

May 23, 1960

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5 and killed nearly 61 people. It is referred to as a mega thrust earthquake. It was caused by the subduction of Nazca plate under the South American Plate.

Good Friday Earthquake, Alaska

Mar 27, 1964

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2 and around 130 casualties. Also a mega thrust earthquake. It struck Prince William Sound, halfway between Anchorage and Valdez. It was the second most powerful earth quake in history, creating a 220 foot tsunami.

Hokkaido Earthquake, Japan

Jul 12, 1993

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 and killed 120 people. It generated a huge tsunami causing a ton of chaos. It resulted in $600 million in property damage.

Papua New Guinea Quake, New Papua Guinea

Jul 17, 1998

This devastating Earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1 and killed around 2100 people. It generated a local tsunami. It destroyed primarily fishing villages along a 30 km coastline.

Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia

Dec 26, 2004

This destructive earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1, and killed 230 thousand people. The earthquake was thought to have the same energy as 23,000 Hiroshima type atomic bombs. It is also the 10th most deadliest natural disaster of all time.

Samoa Earthquake, Chile

Sep 29, 2009

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and killed around 200 people. It is called a submarine earthquake. Once the tsunami was formed it caused the greatest loss of life.

Chile Earthquake, Chile

Feb 27, 2010

This devastating earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 and killed around 700 people. The epicenter was located 200 miles southwest of the capital, Santiago. The tsunami wave reached around 14 meters in hight and caused massive destruction.

Tohoku Earthquake, Japan

Mar 11, 2011

This massive earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1, and killed around 20 thousand people. The great east Japan earthquake, the name given to the earthquake by the Japanese government triggered a massive earthquake that flooded 200 square miles of coastal land.

Sulawesi Earthquake, Indonesia

Sep 27, 2018

This destructive earthquake had a magnitude of 7.5, and killed around 200 people. It was a shallow, large earthquake that struck in the neck of the Minhasa Peninsula. The epicenter was located in mountainous Donggala.