Destructive Tsunamis

Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)

Nov 11, 1755

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9. This disaster killed 20,000 people. The waves had heights up to 7m (23ft) or more in the West Indies.

Krakatoa Eruption (Java/ Sumatra)

Aug 26, 1883

This occurred in the Sundra Strait. The top of the volcano collapsed into the ocean. It produced a giant tsumami more than 35m (115 ft) and killed more than 36,000 people.

Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)

Jun 23, 1946

This earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1. The tsunami that followed in the Hawaiian Islands killed about 160 people.

Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)

May 22, 1960

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5. It killed 61 people. It traveled for 15 hours across the Pacific Ocean.

Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska)

Mar 27, 1964

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2. It killed about 130 people. It was also known as the Great Alaskan earthquake.

Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)

Jul 12, 1993

This earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8. It killed 120 people. This happened on Okushiri Island.

Papua New Guinea Quake (Papua New Guinea)

Jul 17, 1998

This had a magnitude of 7.1. There were more than 2100 people killed. A submarine landslide was triggered.

Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)

Dec 26, 2004

This had a magnitude of 9.1. It killed about 230,000 people. The Indian plate was subducted by the Burma plate.

Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)

Sep 29, 2009

This had a magnitude of 8.1. About 200 people were killed. It occurred in the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone.

Chile Earthquake (Chile)

Feb 27, 2010

This had a magnitude of 8.8. About 700 people in coastal towns were killed. This happened off the coast of central Chile.

Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)

Mar 11, 2011

This had a magnitude of 9.1. It killed over 20,000 people. The effects could be felt in Norway.