Deadly Tsunamis - Amanda Greenberg

Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 in Portugal

Nov 1, 1755

Magnitude: 8.4
Death Toll: 75,000
Facts: The tsunami struck Lisbon 45 minutes after the earthquake had finished. The tsunami was 9 meters high when it hit Lisbon. There were two further 2 tsunami waves to hit Lisbon in the following 3 hours that preceded the earthquake.

Krakatau Volcano Tsunami in New Zealand

Aug 28, 1883

Death Toll: 36,000
Facts: This tsunami is the only known example of a New Zealand tsunami generated by a volcano. The eruption generated a 30m tsunami and it washed away 165 coastal villages on Java and Sumatra.

1946 Aleutians Tsunami in Hawaii

Apr 1, 1946

Magnitude: 8.1
Death Toll: 165
Facts: The earthquake caused relatively little damage in Alaska, but the resulting local source tsunami destroyed Scotch Cap Lighthouse on Unimak Island. Hawaii, where the tsunami hit, suffered approximately $300 million in damages and lost most of its waterfront buildings.

Chile earthquake of 1960 in Chile

May 22, 1960

Magnitude: 8.1
Death Toll: 230 total
Facts: The tsunami arrived nearly 15 hours later in the Hawaiian Islands. The waves caused millions of dollars of damage at Hilo Bay on the main island of Hawaii.

Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami in Alaska

Mar 27, 1964

Magnitude: 9.2
Death Toll: 124
Facts: Tsunamis damaged harbors along the North American Pacific Northwest coast. Tsunami waves reached as far away as Hawaii and Japan.

The Hokkaido Nansei-Oki Earthquake and Tsunami of 1993 in Japan

Jul 12, 1993

Magnitude: 7.8
Death Toll: 239
Facts: Waves ranging from 5 to 10 meters in height crashed on the nearest coastlines. More than half of the fatalities were caused by the tsunami. The tsunami caused a $600 million property loss.

Papua New Guinea Tsunami of 1998 in the island of Papua New Guinea

Jul 17, 1998

Magnitude: 7.5
Death Toll: 1,600
Facts: 3 catastrophic tsunami waves followed, devastating and razing the entire villages of Sissano, Warapu, Arop, and Malomo.

Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake in Indonesia

Dec 26, 2004

Magnitude: 9.1
Death Toll: 230,000
Facts: The tsunami generated by the earthquake was recorded nearly world-wide and killed more people than any other tsunami in recorded history. The estimated material losses are $10 billion and insured losses are $2 billion.

Tsunami in Samoa; Earthquake in Sumatra

Sep 30, 2009

Magnitude: 8.0
Death Toll: 100
Facts: The city of Padang on the island of Sumatra was hit the hardest. The earthquake toppled buildings, including two hospitals.

Chile Earthquake of 2010 in Chile

Feb 27, 2010

Magnitude: 8.8
Death Toll: 500
Facts: A 2014 study contended that water pressure built up between the two plates had been the catalyst. Hundreds of aftershocks occurred after the first event.

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami of 2011 in Japan

Mar 11, 2011

Magnitude: 9.0
Death Toll: 15,894
Facts: The effects of the great earthquake were felt around the world. Tsunami debris has continued to wash up on North American beaches years later.