Most Damaging Tsunamis

  • Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)

    Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)
    Magnitude:7.7 | Death toll: Around 12,000 people | Fact: This earthquake led to the birth of modern seismology and earthquake/tsunami engineering | Fact 2: Both of these events would cause a huge fire in Lisbon
  • Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)

    Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)
    Volcanic scale: 6 | Death toll: 36,417 | Fact: The eruption was so loud it was heard 2,000 miles away from the volcano | Fact 2: The tsunami would sweep away 36,000 people
  • Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)

    Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)
    Magntiude: 8.6 |Death toll: 36,000 people | Fact: his earthquake led to the creation of the first U.S tsunami warning system | Fact 2: This tsunami that occured after was the deadliest in Hawaii
  • Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)

    Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)
    Magnitude: 9.6 | Death toll: 1,655 people | Fact: The most powerful earthquake ever recorded | Fact 2: This tsunami traveled every ocean on earth
  • Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska

    Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska
    Magnitude: 9.2 | Death toll: 131 | Fact: This earthquake lasted for more than four minutes | Fact 2: 90% of the people that died from the earthquake died from the tsunami
  • Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)

    Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)
    Magnitude: 7.7 | Death toll: 200+ | Fact: This earthquake occurred along a near vertical fault | Fact 2: This tsunami caused by the earthquake was the worst in 50 years
  • Papua New Guinea Earthquake (Papua New Guinea)

    Papua New Guinea Earthquake (Papua New Guinea)
    Magnitude: 7.0 | Death toll: 2183-2700 | Fact: Three catastrophic tsunamis would hit after the earthquake | Fact 2: New Guinea was not prepared for a tsunami, since they usually never happen over there
  • Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)

    Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)
    Magnitude: 9.1 | Death toll: 230,000 | Fact: The tsunami that occurred after was the deadliest tsunami ever recorded | Fact 2: Killed more people than any other tsunami ever recorded
  • Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)

    Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)
    Magnitude: 8.1 | Death toll: 189 | Fact: Caused over $200 million in damages | Fact 2: The waves of the tsunami reached up to 22 meters
  • Chile Earthquake (Chile)

    Chile Earthquake (Chile)
    Magnitude: 8.8 | Death toll: 500+ | Fact: Strongest earthquake to hit that region ever since 1960 | Fact 2: The tsunami after the earthquake caused may warnings around the entire ocean ring, also known as the ring of fire
  • Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)

    Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)
    Magnitude: 9.0 | Death toll: 18,000+ | Fact: Most powerful earthquake to hit Japan on record | Fact 2: Tsunami reached a height of over 40 meters
  • Sulawesi Earthquake (Indonesia)

    Sulawesi Earthquake (Indonesia)
    Magnitude: 7.5 | Death toll: 4,340 | Fact: Deadliest earthquake to strike in 2018 | Fact 2: Underwater landslides probably caused the tsunami