Tsunami

Most Damaging Tsunamis of All Time

By ryanvishneski

  • Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)

    Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal)
    Magnitude of 7.7, and death toll of 60,000. This killed more than a third of the entire population of the Portuguese Capital. Most survived the earthquake, but died from the tsunami wave.

  • Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)

    Krakatoa Eruption (Java/Sumatra)
    VEI of 6, and death toll of 36,400. The eruption generated the loudest sound ever reported in history. 165 villages were destroyed.

  • Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)

    Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)
    Magnitude of 8.1, and death toll of 170. The wave traveled 490 miles an hour. The length of the wave was nearly 100 miles.

  • Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)

    Great Chilean Earthquake (Chile)
    Magnitude of 9.5, and death toll of 1,600. Caused by the Nazca plate releasing tension and descending 15 meters underneath the South American Plate. Happened 30.5 km off the Chilean Coast.

  • Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska)

    Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska)
    Magnitude of 9.2, and death toll of 130. Resulted in $311 million in damages. Caused an underwater landslide.

  • Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)

    Hokkaido Earthquake (Japan)
    Magnitude of 7.7, and death toll of 230. Wave reached 32 meters in height. Caused $600 million in property losses.

  • Papua New Guinea Earthquake (Papua New Guinea)

    Papua New Guinea Earthquake (Papua New Guinea)
    Magnitude of 7.0, and death toll of 2,200. Struck at 5:49 pm. Three tsunami waves formed.

  • Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)

    Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia)
    Magnitude of 9.1, and death toll of 230,000. Released energy equivalent to 23,000 Hiroshima-type bombs. Earthquake occurred 31 miles below ocean floor.

  • Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)

    Samoa Earthquake (Samoan Islands)
    Magnitude of 8.1, and death toll of 190. Earthquake lasted 3 minutes. Caused by normal faulting of the Pacific Plate near the outer rise, east of the subduction zone between the Pacific and Australian Plates.

  • Chile Earthquake (Chile)

    Chile Earthquake (Chile)
    Magnitude of 8.8, and death toll of 520. Resulted in $30 billion in damages. Caused by the Nazca and South American Plates converging.

  • Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)

    Tohoku Earthquake (Japan)
    Magnitude of 9.1, and death toll of 18,000. Lasted 6 minutes. Also known as the "Great East Japan Earthquake."

  • Sulawesi Earthquake (Indonesia)

    Sulawesi Earthquake (Indonesia)
    Magnitude of 7.5, and death toll of 4,300. There were 32 aftershocks. Up to 1.5 meter high waves.