Tsunamis

Lisbon Earthquake - Portugal

Nov 1, 1755

The earthquake and tsunami caused 20,000 deaths and had a magnitude of 9.0. It accentuated political tensions in the Kingdom of Portugal and disrupted the country's colonial ambitions. 85% of the buildings in Portugal were destroyed by the tsunami.

Krakatoa Eruption - Java/Sumatra

Mar 26, 1883

Krakatoa and the tsunamis following the eruption caused 36,000 deaths. Eruptions could be heard from Australia. After the eruption, Anak Krakatoa, an island translating to the Son of Krakatoa, formed. The original settlement of Merak was destroyed by the tsunamis.

Aleutian Earthquake - Alaska

Apr 1, 1946

The Aleutian Earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and killed 160 people. The tsunamis caused by the earthquake reached Kauai, Hawaii 4.5 hours after the earthquake. Tsunamis obliterated the Scotch Cap Lighthouse in Alaska

Great Chilean Earthquake - Chile

May 23, 1960

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5 and the tsunami following the earthquake caused 61 deaths in Hawaii. It was the largest earthquake in the 20th century. The tsunami hit Hawaii 15 hours after the earthquake, killing 61 people, and hit Japan 22 hours later, killing 200.

Good Friday Earthquake - Alaska

Mar 27, 1964

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2 and killed 130 people. Small tsunamis were produced by submarine and subaerial landslides. The tsunamis hit the coasts of California and Oregon

Hokkaido Earthquake - Japan

Jul 12, 1993

The Hokkaido Earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 and a death toll of 120. The tsunami warning came 5 minutes after the earthquake, but it was too late for inhabitants of Okushiri since the tsunami reached the island in 2 minutes. Tsunamis also hit southeastern Russia.

Papua New Guinea Quake - Papua New Guinea

Jul 17, 1998

The Papua New Guinea quake had a magnitude of 7.1 and killed 2,100 people. The tsunami was caused by a large undersea landslide. Several villages, from Aitape to Sissano, were completely destroyed or extensively damaged from the tsunamis.

Sumatra Earthquake - Indonesia

Dec 26, 2004

The Sumatra Earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1 and a death toll of 230,000. Even though Thailand was closest to the epicenter, it was hit with a tsunami two hours after the earthquake. Scuba divers in Thailand reported violent, swirling underwater currents after the earthquake and a lack of fish.

Samoa Earthquake - Samoan Islands

Sep 29, 2009

The Samoa Earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and a death toll of 200. Due to the tsunami, the water system was damaged and for a long time fresh water was unavailable to the American Samoa. A tsunami memorial dedicated to the victims was erected in Leone on February 25, 2012. It's called Healing Garden.

Chile Earthquake - Chile

Feb 27, 2010

The Chile Earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 and a death toll of 700. The tsunamis hit Chile and Juan Fernández Islands, but significantly weakened before it hit California, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Japan. Constitución, Chile was hit with waves 50 feet tall.

Tohoku Earthquake - Japan

Mar 11, 2011

The Tohoku Earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1 and a death toll of 20,000. The tsunami caused a cooling system failure at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It caused a level 7 nuclear melton and the release of radioactive materials. The tsunami also carried 5 million tons of debris out to sea.