Most Damaging Tsunamis - Mia Naaman

Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)

Nov 1, 1755

8.5-9.0M. Epicentre in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 km west-southwest of Cape St. Vincent. 10,000-100,000 casualties alone in Lisbon.

Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)

Aug 26, 1883

Nearly 40,000 deaths are attributed to the eruption and the tsunamis it created. 20 million tons of sulfur released in the air.

Aleutian Earthquake

Apr 1, 1946

The shock had a moment magnitude of 8.6 and a maximum mercalli intensityof VI. Resulted in 165-173 casualties and over $26 million in damage. Triggered a tsunami.

Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)

May 22, 1960

Most powerful earthquake ever recorded. 9.4-9.6 on the moment magnitude scale. 1,000-6,000 casualties. Caused tsunamis.

Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska)

Mar 27, 1964

9.2 on the moment magnitude scale. $311 million in damage. 139 killed. Soil liquefaction, fissures, landslides, and other ground failure caused major structural damage. Tsunamis also occurred as a result.

Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)

Jul 12, 1993

7.7 on the moment magnitude scale. Triggered a major tsunami that caused deaths on Hokkaido and in south eastern Russia.

Papua New Guinea Quake (Papua New Guinea)

Jul 17, 1998

7.0 magnitude. Caused a large undersea landslide which caused a tsunami that hit the coast resulting in 2,183-2,700 dead and thousands injured.

Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)

Dec 26, 2004

9.1-9.3 on the moment magnitude scale. Triggered a series of tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing 230,000 people in 14 countries.

Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)

Sep 29, 2009

Had a moment magnitude of 8.1. Largest earthquake of 2009. Caused a tsunami that killed 189 people and left hundreds injured.

Chile Earthquake (Chile)

Feb 27, 2010

Magnitude of 8.8 and ranks as the 5th largest earthquake to be recorded by a seismograph. Triggered a tsunami that also cause minor damage in California and Japan. Left 525 dead and 25 missing.

Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)

Mar 11, 2011

Epicentre approximately 70 km east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tohoku and the hypocenter at an underwater depth of approximately 30 km. 9.0 on the moment magnitude scale. Ranked as the 4th most powerful earthquake in the world. 15,894 deaths. 6,152 injured. 2.562 missing. Resulting in a tsunami, flooding, landslides, fires, building damage. and nuclear incidents including radiation releases.