The most terrible tsunami that shook the world. The highest wave in the world

Tsunamis have been a nightmare for the inhabitants of the islands for all ages. These multi-meter waves swept away everything in their path with tremendous destructive force, leaving behind only bare earth and debris. The statistics of monstrous waves have been conducted by scientists since the nineteenth century, during this period more than a hundred tsunamis of various power were recorded. Do you know what were the biggest tsunamis in the world?

Tsunami: what is it?

It is not surprising that the term "tsunami" was first introduced by the Japanese. They suffered from giant waves most often, because the Pacific Ocean gives rise to the largest number of destructive waves than all other seas and oceans combined. This is due to the peculiarities of the relief of the ocean floor and the high seismicity of the region. In Japanese, the word "tsunami" consists of two hieroglyphs meaning a bay and a wave. Thus, the very meaning of the phenomenon is revealed - a wave in the bay, sweeping away all life on the coast.

When was the first tsunami recorded?

Of course, tsunamis have always suffered. Ordinary island residents came up with their own names for the killer waves and believed that the gods of the seas punish people by sending destructive waves at them.

For the first time, a tsunami was officially recorded and explained at the end of the sixteenth century. This was done by a monk of the Jesuit church, Jose de Acosta, he was in Peru, when a wave about twenty-five meters high hit the shore. She swept away all the settlements around in a few seconds and advanced ten kilometers deep into the continent.

Tsunami: causes and consequences

Tsunamis are most often caused by earthquakes and underwater volcanic eruptions. The closer the epicenter of the earthquake is to the coast, the stronger the killer wave will be. The largest tsunamis in the world that were recorded by mankind could reach speeds of up to one hundred and sixty kilometers per hour and exceed three hundred meters in height. Such waves do not leave a chance to survive for any of the living beings that are on their way.

If we consider the nature of this phenomenon, then briefly it can be explained as the simultaneous displacement of a large amount of water masses. Eruptions or earthquakes raise the ocean floor sometimes by several meters, which causes water vibrations and forms several waves that diverge from the epicenter in different directions. Initially, they do not represent something terrible and deadly, but as they approach the coast, the speed and height of the wave increases, and it turns into a tsunami.

In some cases, tsunamis are formed as a result of giant landslides. During the twentieth century, about seven percent of all gigantic waves arose for this reason.

The consequences of the devastation left behind by the largest tsunamis in the world are terrible: thousands of human victims and hundreds of kilometers of land filled with debris and mud. In addition, in the disaster area, there is a high probability of the spread of infectious diseases due to the lack of drinking water and the decay of the bodies of the dead, the search for which is not always possible to organize in the shortest possible time.

Tsunami: is it possible to escape?

Unfortunately, the global tsunami warning system is still imperfect. At best, people learn about the danger a few minutes before the wave hits, so you need to know the signs of impending disaster and the rules for survival during a cataclysm.

If you are on the sea or ocean coast, then carefully follow the reports of earthquakes. A shaking of the earth's crust with a magnitude of about seven on the Richter scale that occurred somewhere nearby could serve as a warning of a possible tsunami strike. The approach of a killer wave gives out a sudden ebb - the ocean floor is quickly exposed for several kilometers. This is a clear sign of a tsunami. Moreover, the further the water goes, the stronger and more destructive the incoming wave will be. Animals often anticipate such natural disasters: a few hours before the cataclysm, they whine, hide, and try to go deep into the island or mainland.

To survive during a tsunami, you need to leave the dangerous area as soon as possible. Do not take a lot of things with you, drinking water, food and documents will be enough. Try to get as far away from the coast as possible or climb to the roof of a multi-storey building. All floors after the ninth are considered safe.

If the wave still overtakes you, then find an object that you can hold on to. According to statistics, most people die when the wave begins to return back to the ocean and takes away all the objects that have come across. Keep in mind that tsunamis almost never end in one wave. Most often, the first will be followed by a series of two or even three new ones.

So, when was the biggest tsunami in the world? And how much destruction did they bring?

This catastrophe does not fit any of the previously described incidents on the sea coast. To date, the Lituya Bay megatsunami has become the most gigantic and destructive in the world. Eminent luminaries in the field of oceanology and seismology are still arguing about the possibility of a repetition of such a nightmare.

Lituya Bay is located in Alaska and extends inland for eleven kilometers, its maximum width does not exceed three kilometers. Two glaciers descend into the bay, which became the unwitting creators of a huge wave. The 1958 tsunami in Alaska was caused by an earthquake on July 9th. The power of the shocks exceeded eight points, which caused a huge landslide to descend into the waters of the bay. Scientists calculated that thirty million cubic meters of ice and stones fell into the water in a few seconds. Parallel to the landslide, an under-ice lake sank thirty meters, from which the released water masses rushed into the bay.

A huge wave rushed to the coast and circled the bay several times. The height of the tsunami wave reached five hundred meters, the raging element completely demolished the trees on the rocks along with the ground. At the moment, this wave is the highest in the history of mankind. The surprising fact is that only five people died as a result of a powerful tsunami. The fact is that there are no residential settlements in the bay; at the time the wave arrived in Lituya, there were only three fishing boats. One of them, together with the crew, immediately sank, and the other was raised by a wave to its maximum height and carried out into the ocean.

2004 Indian Ocean avalanche

The tsunami in Thailand in 2004 shocked all people on the planet. As a result of the destructive wave, more than two hundred thousand people died. The cause of the disaster was an earthquake in the Sumatra region on December 26, 2004. The tremors lasted no more than ten minutes and exceeded nine on the Richter scale.

A thirty-meter wave swept at great speed throughout the Indian Ocean and circled it, stopping near Peru. Almost all island states, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Somalia, suffered from the tsunami.

After killing several hundred thousand people, the 2004 Thailand tsunami left behind destroyed houses, hotels and several thousand local residents who died as a result of infections and poor-quality drinking water. At the moment, this tsunami is considered the largest in the twenty-first century.

Severo-Kurilsk: tsunami in the USSR

The list of "The biggest tsunamis in the world" should include the wave that hit the Kuriles in the middle of the last century. An earthquake in the Pacific Ocean caused a twenty-meter wave. The epicenter of the tremors of magnitude seven was located one hundred and thirty kilometers from the coast.

The first wave arrived in the city about an hour later, but most of the locals were in hiding on the high ground away from the city. No one warned them that a tsunami was a series of waves, so all the townspeople returned to their homes after the first one. A few hours later, the second and third waves hit Severo-Kurilsk. Their height reached eighteen meters, they almost completely destroyed the city. More than 2,000 people died as a result of the cataclysm.

Killer wave in Chile

In the second half of the last century, the inhabitants of Chile faced a terrifying tsunami, which killed more than three thousand people. The cause of the giant waves was the most powerful earthquake in the history of mankind, its magnitude exceeded nine and a half points.

A twenty-five-meter high wave covered Chile fifteen minutes after the first shocks. During the day, she covered several thousand kilometers, destroying the coast of Hawaii and Japan.

Despite the fact that humanity has been "familiar" with the tsunami for quite a long time, this natural phenomenon is still among the little-studied. Scientists have not learned how to predict the appearance of killer waves, therefore, most likely, in the future the list of their victims will be replenished with new deaths.

Once upon a time yet in 1960 a very powerful earthquake of 9.5 points was recorded, the waves rose by 25 meters. As a result, it claimed the lives of about 1263 people.

Recently in 2004 In the month of December there was another very terrible earthquake. It happened in the Indian Ocean, and its magnitude was equal to nine points. It provoked waves of insane force and in height they reached more than 50 meters.

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This tsunami, if counted by victims, has become the most global and destructive. Asian countries such as Indonesia, southern India and many others were involved in it. The number of dead people is shocking, because it is equal to 227,898 people. This is only factual information, but many scientists suggest that the tsunami claimed more than 300,000 lives. Because many people were never found, perhaps they were swallowed up by the ocean.

But why did so many people die? This is due to the fact that people simply were not warned of the impending disaster. Well, and most of them went back to their homes, believing that the worst was over. But every time the ocean gave the inhabitants of the city more and more huge waves.

Two years ago there was an earthquake in Japan, reaching 9 points. Then the waves were 40.5 meters high. On year 2014 it was one of the largest tsunamis in terms of the extent of destruction, as 62 towns and several villages fell under it. This tsunami disproved all scientific calculations, it turned out to be much larger than it was predicted.

The Philippine earthquake plunged into the abyss of darkness about 4,456 people. It was about 8.1 points, and the height was 8.5 meters.

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In 1992 there was another very terrible earthquake that happened in Indonesia, in the Flores Sea. On that day, it claimed 2,500 human lives, its magnitude was 7.8 points, and the waves reached 26.2 meters.

In 1998 The tsunami claimed the lives of 2183 people, it happened in Papua New Guinea. Then it reached 7 points and had waves of 15 meters.

When the landslide happened in Alaska in 1958, there was a very powerful tsunami. When a huge amount of ice and earth rock fell into the water, it provoked a tsunami, whose waves near the coast reached 500 meters. It is this wave that everyone considers the largest in the world!

Now it is already 2016 on the street, but nature and its phenomena are still not subject to people. And therefore it is necessary to develop science in every possible way and predict the coming catastrophe.

On December 26, 2004, one of the most powerful tsunamis in history hit southern Asia, causing catastrophic destruction. Today we remember the most powerful waves that humanity has ever faced.

Tsunami in South Asia

On December 26, 2004, a powerful earthquake with an amplitude of 8.9 points was recorded near the island of Sumatra. The resulting wave hits the coasts of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia. Several hundred thousand victims (including many tourists) and hundreds of destroyed cities make this tsunami one of the most destructive and powerful in the history of mankind.

Tsunami in Alaska

On March 28, 1964, the most devastating tsunami in the history of the Northern Hemisphere occurred, which is commonly called the "Tsunami in Alaska". Tremors at its epicenter, which was the Prince William Sound, reached 9.2 on the Richter scale, and their echoes were felt throughout the western part of the continent. It is hard to imagine the horror of the inhabitants of the coast, who, on a fine pre-Easter day, saw a huge 30-meter wall of water on the horizon. Killer waves left tens of thousands of residents of the United States and Canada homeless and wiped out many coastal cities in North America.

Tsunami off Samoa

September 2009 was fatal for many Samoans. On a hot day, when most of the islanders were closer to the saving coolness of the ocean, 15-meter waves hit them. The earthquake was incredibly strong - 8.1 on the Richter scale, while the vibrations occurred in such a way that the bulk of the water rushed deep into the island, sweeping away everything in its path. The inhabitants of the archipelago would have absolutely no chance of salvation if the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had not had time to evacuate part of the population to elevated areas.

Tsunami at Okushiri Island

The Japanese authorities are extremely attentive to the prevention of earthquake and tsunami threats. The Land of the Rising Sun has suffered from destructive elements more than once, but the government did everything possible to prevent human casualties. However, in every system there is a failure, and an example of this is the sad fate of Okushiri Island, which turned into ruins from a prosperous settlement in a few minutes. In 1993, 27-meter waves literally washed away the island, taking with them most of the inhabitants. Tremors reached a force of 7.8 points.

Tsunami off the coast of Ecuador

In 1979, deadly waves again swept along the west coast of America, this time already the South. The tsunami originated off the coast of Ecuador due to a 7.9 magnitude earthquake, which was later dubbed "Tomako". This tragedy will forever remain in the memory of Ecuadorians and Colombians. About a dozen fishing villages were completely destroyed, many families were left without breadwinners, hundreds of parents mourned their dead children, and 95 people are still considered missing.

Tsunami off Java

In 2006, the measured life of the island of Java was disturbed by a deadly tsunami that claimed 668 human lives. The bodies of another 65 people could not be found. Seven-meter waves covered the island, leveling the resort town of Pangandaran and depriving more than 6,000 people of their homes. 9,000 people needed medical attention, most of the roads and almost all the buildings of the island were destroyed.

Water flowing through natural streams and rivers, living in the seas, changes the relief of the earth, washing out loose rocks, removing debris. But there are also extremely painful conditions in which water becomes a real formidable weapon that kills and destroys everything in its path.

Such rare and terrible water attacks as huge tsunami waves that wash everything from the surface of the earth have the most terrible destructive effect. Such waves arise as a result of underwater earthquakes. Recently, the water element of the earth has increasingly caused trouble for residents of coastal zones. Perhaps we, humans, do not treat our planet with due respect. We do not take into account the speed of flows and trajectories of movement, we build where it is impossible, we destroy what is not supposed to. We drain, flood, drive into concrete and change direction. It is enough to recall the numerous man-made reservoirs, dams, hydroelectric power stations and much more that a person does, sometimes without calculating the consequences of his actions.

Earthquake and tsunami in Alaska, 1964

March 27, 1964 was Good Friday, but the Christian day of worship was interrupted by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded in North American history. The subsequent tsunami devastated the western North American coastline (also hitting Hawaii and Japan), killing 121 people. Waves up to 30 meters high were recorded, and a 10-meter tsunami wiped out the tiny Alaskan village of Chenega.

Samoa earthquake and tsunami, 2009

In 2009 the Samoan Islands experienced a magnitude 8.1 earthquake at 7:00 am on September 29th. Tsunamis up to 15 meters high followed, reaching miles inland, engulfing villages and causing widespread destruction. 189 people died, many of them children, but no further deaths were avoided due to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center giving people time to evacuate to higher ground.

1993 Hokkaido earthquake and tsunami

On July 12th, 1993, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck 80 miles off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. The Japanese authorities reacted quickly by issuing a tsunami warning, but the small island of Okushiri was out of the relief zone. Already minutes after the earthquake, the island was covered with giant waves - some of which reached 30 meters in height. Of the 250 tsunami victims, 197 were residents of Okushiri. Although some were saved thanks to the memory of the 1983 tsunami that hit the island 10 years earlier, prompting a quick evacuation.

1979 Tumaco earthquake and tsunami

At 8:00 am on December 12th, 1979, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake began near Colombia and the Pacific coast of Ecuador. The tsunami that followed destroyed six fishing villages and much of the city of Tumaco, as well as several other Colombian coastal cities. 259 people died while 798 were injured and 95 were missing.

2006 Java earthquake and tsunami

On July 17th, 2006, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the seabed near Java. A 7m high tsunami hit the Indonesian coastline, including 100 miles of Java's coastline, which was fortunately unaffected by the 2004 tsunami. The waves penetrated over a mile inland, leveling the settlements and the seaside resort of Pangandaran. At least 668 people have died, 65 have been burned out, and more than 9,000 have required medical attention.

1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake and tsunami

An earthquake of magnitude 7 hit the northern coast of Papua New Guinea on July 17, 1998, without itself causing a major tsunami. However, the earthquake triggered a large underwater landslide, which in turn produced waves 15 meters high. When the tsunami hit the coast, it caused at least 2,183 deaths, 500 missing, and made about 10,000 residents homeless. Numerous villages were badly damaged, while others such as Arop and Warapu were completely destroyed. The only positive was that it gave scientists valuable insight into the threat of underwater landslides and unexpected tsunamis they could cause, which could save lives in the future.

1976 Moro Bay earthquake and tsunami

In the early morning, August 16th, 1976, the small island of Mindanao in the Philippines was hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.9. The earthquake caused a huge tsunami that crashed into 433 miles of coastline, where residents did not realize the danger and did not have time to escape to higher ground. In all, 5,000 people died and another 2,200 went missing, 9,500 were injured and more than 90,000 residents were left homeless. Cities and regions throughout the Northern Celebes Sea region of the Philippines were devastated by the tsunami, which is considered among the worst natural disasters in the country's history.

1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami

In 1960, the world experienced the most powerful earthquake since the beginning of tracking such events. On May 22nd, the Great Chile Earthquake of 9.5 began off the south coast of central Chile, causing a volcanic eruption and a devastating tsunami. In some areas, waves were up to 25 meters high, while the tsunami also swept across the Pacific Ocean, hitting Hawaii about 15 hours after the quake and killing 61 people. Seven hours later, waves hit the coast of Japan, causing 142 deaths. A total of 6,000 died.

2011 Tohuku earthquake and tsunami

While all tsunamis are dangerous, the 2011 Tohuku Tsunami that hit Japan has some of the worst consequences. On March 11th waves of 11 meters were recorded after the 9.0 earthquake, although some reports mention terrifying heights of up to 40 meters with waves traveling 6 miles inland, as well as a whopping 30 meter wave that crashed into the coastal town of Ofunato. Approximately 125,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and transport infrastructure suffered heavy losses. Approximately 25,000 people died, the tsunami also damaged the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, causing a disaster of International Nuclear Scale. The full implications of this nuclear disaster are still unclear, but radiation has been detected 200 miles from the station.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

The world was stunned by the deadly tsunami that hit the countries surrounding the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. The tsunami was the deadliest ever, with over 230,000 casualties, affecting people in 14 countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand the most affected. The strong underwater earthquake had a magnitude of up to 9.3, and the deadly waves it caused were up to 30 meters high. Massive tsunamis flooded some coastlines as early as 15 minutes, and some as much as 7 hours after the initial quake. Despite having time to prepare for wave impacts in some places, the lack of an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system has meant that most coastal areas have been taken by surprise. However, some places were saved thanks to local signs and even the knowledge of children who learned about the tsunami at school.
In many places, the waves passed 2 kilometers deep into the coast. But the city of Banda Aceh in the north of Sumatra was the first to meet the killer wave. There, the wave traveled 4 kilometers and claimed the lives of 130,000 people. But spared the local mosque. And this city in the north of Sumatra no longer exists.
The tsunami caused the largest rail disaster in history. In Sri Lanka, waves 9 meters high hit an overcrowded passenger train on the coastal railway. At the point of departure - Colombo - 1,500 passengers boarded it. Stowaways also got on at the next stations. The official death toll is estimated at 2,000. One third of them are children. Only 150 survived.
Curiously, an experienced driver managed to take the train deep into the island after the impact of the first wave, but the second wave left no one with a chance ... Two cars were washed away into the ocean - they were never found. The train did not reach its destination only 20 kilometers. More than two hours had passed since the earthquake.
About a million people were left without a roof over their heads. Outbreaks of cholera, typhoid and dysentery began in the affected countries. The humanitarian disaster caused by the tsunami is believed to have claimed up to 300,000 lives in 2005.




The earthquake in the Indian Ocean was so powerful that it changed the shape of the planet and reduced the length of the day by 2.68 microseconds.
Physicists say that the total energy of the tsunami was twice as much as the energy of all the shells exploded during the Second World War. Including two atomic bombs. Seismologists add that the energy of the earthquake itself would be enough to provide electricity to the entire planet for two years. A few hours before the arrival of the waves (and how long before the earthquake itself), all animals left the coastal regions of the countries that would suffer the most and moved to higher ground .
Three months after this catastrophe, 500 dead bodies were washed up on the coast of the Indian Ocean daily. Scientists believe that such an earthquake with a comparable number of victims can happen no earlier than in 300 years.

A tsunami is a wave that moves a large amount of water at all depths, caused by an impact on the entire water column. Cause big
Tsunamis often result in a significant number of casualties for several reasons:
During a storm, only the near-surface layer of water comes into motion, during a tsunami - the entire thickness. And much larger masses of water splash out onto the shore during a tsunami.
The speed of tsunami waves, even near the coast, exceeds the speed of wind waves. Tsunami waves have more kinetic energy.
A tsunami, as a rule, generates not one, but several waves. The first wave, not necessarily the largest, wets the surface, reducing the resistance for subsequent waves.
The strength of a tsunami can increase in the harbor - where the wind waves are weakened, and therefore, residential buildings can stand close to the shore.
Lack of basic knowledge among the population about the possible danger. So, during the 2004 tsunami, when the sea receded from the shore, many local residents remained on the shore - out of curiosity or out of a desire to collect fish that did not have time to leave. In addition, after the first wave, many returned to their homes - to assess the damage or try to find loved ones, not knowing about subsequent waves.

1 Tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004 Southeast Asia.

At 00:58 a powerful earthquake occurred - the second most powerful of all recorded (magnitude 9.3), which caused the most powerful of all known tsunamis.

Asian countries (Indonesia - 180 thousand people, Sri Lanka - 31-39 thousand people, Thailand - more than 5 thousand people, etc.) and African Somalia suffered from the tsunami. The total number of deaths exceeded 235 thousand people.

2 Tsunami that occurred on 03/28/1964 Alaska, (USA).

The largest earthquake in Alaska (magnitude 9.2), which occurred in the Prince William Sound, caused a tsunami of several waves, with the highest height - 67 meters. As a result of the disaster (mainly due to the tsunami), according to various estimates, from 120 to 150 people died.

3 Tsunami that occurred on July 9, 1958 in Lituya Bay, (southwest Alaska, USA).

An earthquake that occurred north of the bay (on the Fairweather fault) initiated a strong landslide on the slope of the mountain located above Lituya Bay (about 300 million cubic meters of earth, stones and ice). All this mass filled up the northern part of the bay and caused a huge wave 52.4 meters high, moving at a speed of 160 km/h.

4 Tsunami that occurred on 01/09/2005 on the islands of Izu and Miyake (eastern Japan)

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 caused a tsunami with a wave height of 30-50 m. However, thanks to a timely warning, the population from dangerous areas was evacuated.

It was caused by a powerful earthquake (magnitude estimates vary from 8.3 to 9 according to various sources), which occurred in the Pacific Ocean 130 kilometers from the coast of Kamchatka. Three waves up to 15-18 meters high (according to various sources) destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk and caused damage to a number of other settlements. According to official figures, more than two thousand people died.

6 Tsunami that occurred on March 9, 1957 Alaska, (USA).

Caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 that occurred on the Andreyanovsky Islands (Alaska), which caused two waves, with an average wave height of 15 and 8 meters, respectively. In addition, as a result of the earthquake, the Vsevidov volcano woke up, located in Umnak and had not erupted for about 200 years. More than 300 people died in the disaster.

7 Tsunami that occurred on 07/17/1998 Papua New Guinea

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake off the northwestern coast of New Guinea triggered a powerful underwater landslide that triggered a tsunami that killed more than 2,000 people.

8 Tsunami occurred on 27.02.2010 Concepción Chile

Earthquakes of magnitude 8.8 were recorded at 03.34 local time, 115 kilometers north of the city of Concepción, located in the central part of the country, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the tremors provoked a tsunami. Experts specify that the wave height reached almost three meters. The number of victims reached 100 people.

9 Tsunami occurred on 2.04.2007 Solomon Islands (archipelago)

Caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake in the South Pacific. Waves several meters high reached New Guinea. The tsunami killed 52 people.

10 Tsunami that occurred on 09/06/2004 coast of Japan

Two strong earthquakes (magnitudes up to 6.8 and 7.3, respectively) occurred 110 km off the coast of the Kii Peninsula and 130 km off the coast of Kochi Prefecture, causing a tsunami with a wave height of up to one meter. Several dozen people were injured.