Most Damaging Tsunamis

Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)

Nov 1, 1755

The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.0 and the death toll was 20,000. The damage from this earthquake and the fires caused almost completely destroyed Lisbon. There were a total of 3 waves that formed as a result of this earthquake.

Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)

Aug 26, 1883

The magnitude of this earthquake was a VEI of 6 and the death toll was 36,000. This tsunami was caused by the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa. The earthquake caused several tsunami waves, one of which was 46 meters tall.

Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)

Apr 1, 1946

This earthquake caused many destructive tsunami waves that had heights ranging from 45-135 feet. The waves also destroyed the Scotch Cap Lighthouse, killing 5 crew members in the process.

Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)

May 23, 1960

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5 and a death toll of 61. The earthquake caused a tsunami that effected several countries, including southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, and the Aleutian Islands. The cost of this earthquake was about $400,000 in damages.

Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska)

Mar 27, 1964

The magnitude of this earthquake was 9.2 and its death toll was 130. This earthquake resulted in tsunami waves in over 20 different countries. Property damage was estimated to be about $16 million.

Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)

Jul 12, 1993

This earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 and a death toll of 120. The tsunami reached the shore of Okushiri between 2-7 minutes after the quake. Tsunami warnings were given out 5 mins after the quake, but it was too late for most Okushiri inhabitants.

Papua New Guinea Earthquake (Papua New Guinea)

Jul 17, 1998

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1 and a death toll of 2100. This tsunami was originally thought to be caused by a 2 meter drop in the Pacific Plate, but later work suggests that it was caused by a massive underwater landslide. The tsunami left about 9,500 homeless and 500 missing.

Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)

Dec 26, 2004

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1 and a death toll of 230,000. The quake was so large that, in addition to causing a tsunami, it caused a shift in the earth's mass, thus changing its rotation. The total material loss because of the quake and tsunami was estimated to be about $10 million

Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)

Sep 29, 2009

This earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and a death toll of 200. A tsunami was triggered by two separate earthquakes, each occurring within 2-3 minutes of each other near the Tonga Trench. The earthquakes were felt for up to 3 minutes.

Chile Earthquake (Chile)

Feb 27, 2010

This earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 and a death toll of 700 After the earthquake was felt, tsunami warnings were issued in 53 different countries. The quake and tsunami damages caused about 9% of the people in the affected regions to lose their homes.

Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)

Mar 11, 2011

This earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1 and a death toll of 20,000. This was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, and generated a tsunami of almost 130 feet.

Sulawesi Earthquake (Indonesia)

Sep 27, 2018

This earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 and a death toll of 4,340. The earthquake was a strike-slip, yet the waves it generated were over 2 meters tall, which is unusual for strike-slip earthquakes. Studies suggest it had higher waves than usual due to coastal and submarine landslides.