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Lisbon Earthquake Tsunami
The Lisbon earthquake was the first to have its effects studied scientifically on a large scale. The disaster led to certain philosophical and religious movements, most notably the popularization of European Enlightenment. At an estimated magnitude of 9.0 and a death toll of around 20,000, it is undoubtedly one of the most destructive in history. -
Krakatoa Volcanic Eruption Tsunami
With a volcanic explosivity index score of 6.0 and a death toll nearing 36,000, it's no surprise that this event is speculated to be the inspiration for Edvard Munch's "The Scream." Modern theories state that the volcano subsided some time before the eruption, submerging the vents underwater and creating a "pressure cooker" effect that led to the immense explosive force of the eruption. -
Aleutian Earthquake Tsunami
Known as the "April Fool's Day" tsunami in Hawaii (where it also made impact, 4.5 hours after the quake), this 8.1 quake was no joke. Killing about 160 people, it seems only right that it led to the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in 1949. -
Great Chilean Earthquake Tsunami
The largest earthquake ever recorded, I find it odd that the textbook only lists the 61 casualties from Hawaii. At a magnitude of 9.5, the resulting tsunami reached not only Chile but Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia. A coastal village actually carried out the human sacrifice of a young boy in an attempt to calm the earth and sea in the days following. -
Good Friday Earthquake Tsunami
A 9.2 earthquake causing a tsunami that killed 130 people is more of a Bad Friday to me, but what do I know? This quake caused a vertical displacement of 38 feet, creating waves 220 feet high. Despite the relatively low death toll, this is considered a XI on the Mercalli scale due to structural damage. It also caused a Cold-War era missile radar at Clear Air Force Station to go offline, the only known interruption in its history. -
Hokkaido Earthquake Tsunami
This was actually two distinct earthquake shocks, one lasting 20 seconds and the other 35 seconds. The 7.8 earthquake killed 120 people, and led to a total overhaul of Okushiri sea defenses, including the construction of multiple sluices and new escape route planning. -
Papua New Guinea Earthquake Tsunami
This relatively small 7.1 quake led to a tsunami that killed 2100, and caused scientists to reconsider the way they associate earthquakes with tsunamis, and the correlation between their sizes. Smaller quakes like this can cause large tsunamis by triggering underwater landslides, which is a lot harder to detect than just one large earthquake. Since this incident, scientists have suggested new anti-hazard measures, but they have yet to be implemented. -
Sumatra Earthquake Tsunami
This incident had one of the largest humanitarian responses due to the number of people affected--the 9.1 earthquake/tsunami killed 230,000 people. Aside from the obvious, it also had certain religious and political effects. In 2006, fifteen of the local aid staff were found executed in Sri Lanka following conflict between the government and the Tamil Tigers. -
Samoa Earthquake Tsunami
This 8.1 earthquake had over 40 aftershocks, each measuring somewhere over 5.0, in the 48 hours following. In 2012, a memorial known as the "Leone Healing Garden" was opened to the public to commemorate the 200 people who lost their lives in the disaster. -
Chile Earthquake Tsunami
Even though at a magnitude of 8.8, its 0.7 points below the largest quake in Chile, scientists think this quake may have shortened the day by 1.26 microseconds, moved the Earth's axis by 8 centimeters, and expanded Chile by 1.2 square kilometers. Aside from the 700 casualties, there was also a prison riot/escape during the tsunami where 203 prisoners escaped. Within the week, 63 of them were caught. -
Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami
This 9.1 earthquake and tsunami actually caused a whole other disaster, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, where three nuclear reactors had a meltdown, and there was a discharge of radioactive water. Aside from the human cost of 20,000, this was also the costliest disaster financially, costing an estimated $235 billion USD. -
Sulawesi Earthquake Tsunami
Most of the damage here was actually due to liquefaction and mudslides. Despite the tsunami warnings issued after the 7.5 earthquake, much of the public remained unaware of the threat. The Palu Nomoni Festival continued on Talise beach right up until the waves hit. The people swept away from the boardwalk is thought to have contributed hundreds of deaths to the final toll of 4340.