Sometimes nature plays cruel jokes and destroys what it once created. One of the most dangerous phenomena is a tsunami. A huge wave resulting from an earthquake can absorb everything in its path. But some tsunamis will be remembered by the whole world for a long time, and they can safely be called the most destructive in history.

The ten most destructive tsunamis:

1. The strongest tsunami in 2006 occurred on the island of Java. The epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the disaster was in the Indian Ocean. And approximately a 40-kilometer stretch of the island's coastline was completely destroyed. The waves demolished telephone lines, buildings, and houses along their path. And since the tremors began in the evening, when many tourists were swimming in the ocean, the number of victims became simply enormous. According to some reports, about 650 people died, and 120 thousand were declared missing. About 47 thousand residents of Java lost their homes. And since new tremors shook the coast for several hours, the search and rescue of victims became much more difficult. And this tsunami is recognized as the most destructive and cruelest in the history of the island.
2. In 1998, a large tsunami hit the shores of Papua New Guinea. The appearance of waves, the height of which in some places reached 15 meters, was triggered by a powerful earthquake that began on the northwestern coast of the country. Moreover, the tremors came from the most isolated part of the coastline and led to a huge underwater landslide. There were only two shocks, but even 1100 kilometers from the epicenter they were clearly felt. In remote regions, sea levels have risen by five centimeters, which is a very significant increase. And although the inhabitants of this region are accustomed to natural disasters, this tsunami was still the most powerful in the history of the country. It destroyed thousands of houses and claimed the lives of about 2,000 people, so it is still remembered today and is unlikely to ever be forgotten.
3. In 1960, on May 22, the most powerful earthquake in the entire history of mankind was recorded, the magnitude of which was as much as 9.5. And the Pacific Ocean, of course, responded with a series of tsunamis that hit coastal areas. In some places the wave height reached 25 meters. But not only the Chilean coast suffered from the destructive power of the water. About 15 hours after the first shocks, the waves reached the Hawaiian shores. And after another seven hours they reached the coast of Japan. In total, about 6 thousand people died then. Many were left homeless, as the water rushed at breakneck speed and spared no one or anything.
4. In 1952, a powerful earthquake occurred in Severo-Kurilsk at approximately five in the morning, the magnitude of which, according to various sources, ranged from 8.3 to 9 points. And it entailed a tsunami, consisting of three waves, the height of which reached 18 meters. They completely wiped out an entire city and claimed the lives of 2,336 people. And the cause of this natural disaster was strong tremors that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, about 130 kilometers from Kamchatka. Moreover, the first wave hit the territory an hour after the earthquake. And many residents noticed her in time and managed to retreat to higher ground. But then everyone returned to their homes, believing that the worst was over. And this is precisely what destroyed everyone, because after some time the second wave came, which destroyed almost all the houses and killed the local residents. Then there was a third wave, but it was weak, and the first two had already destroyed everything. And yet many were saved and evacuated to Sakhalin. And later the city began to be built anew.
5. A megatsunami occurred in 1958 in Lituya Bay, Alaska. Because of it, only five people died, but the wave was the highest in the entire history of mankind, because its height was about 500 meters! And the cause of this disaster was an earthquake that occurred 20 kilometers from the bay. After the tremors, which were recognized as the strongest in the history of the state, a huge landslide descended from the mountain into the bay, which provoked waves. They severely damaged many infrastructure facilities: oil pipelines, docks, bridges, and so on. Later, scientists explored a subglacial lake located near the Lituya glacier. It turned out that it dropped more than 30 meters. But still, the flow of water from this reservoir could not provoke such powerful tremors. So the causes of the earthquake and tsunami are still unknown.
6. The tsunami that occurred in 2004 in the Indian Ocean can also be included in the top 10 global disasters. It all started with an earthquake with a magnitude of about 9.3 on the Richter scale, which was recorded at approximately 8 a.m. local time. After it, several countries at once (Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and part of India) were covered with huge waves that destroyed literally everything in their path. It’s sad that this event happened on December 26, that is, after Catholic Christmas. And therefore, many tourists who decided to celebrate this event at resorts never returned home. The total number of victims has not yet been calculated; according to some sources, it ranges from 240 to 300 thousand people. The epicenter of the tremors was in the Indian Ocean, and just 15 minutes after them, waves up to thirty meters high formed. They reached the coast seven hours later. Moreover, no one expected the disaster, and it took many by surprise and destroyed them.
7. A powerful tsunami hit Japan in 2011. On March 11, an earthquake began near the eastern coast of Honshu Island, the magnitude of which was more than 9 points. The tremors triggered a huge tsunami that affected the northern islands of the Japanese archipelago. According to official data, the total number of deaths due to the earthquake and tsunami was about 15,870 people. And 2,846 people are still missing. The epicenter of the activity was located approximately 130 kilometers from the city of Sendai, located on the island of Honshu. And after the main and strongest shock, the so-called aftershock began, which led to more than 400 shocks. Moreover, a series of tsunamis spread across almost the entire Pacific Ocean, as a result of which mass evacuation was announced in some coastal countries, which saved millions of people.
8. A serious tsunami occurred in 2010 in Chile. And although five people died directly from the wave itself, the destruction was still catastrophic. And if you consider that not only the ocean, but also the earth shook, then you can understand that the damage from this natural disaster was simply colossal. About twenty minutes after the first shock, a wave hit the coast. And although its height was only about 2-3 meters, this did not stop it from destroying most of the territory, thanks to its enormous speed. As a result, two million residents were left homeless. After the earthquake, about 800 people died and 1,200 were missing. The tsunami itself affected 11 cities in Chile, as well as the coastlines of several other countries: New Zealand, Australia, Japan and even Russia.
9. Early in the morning of August 16, 1976, the small Philippine island of Mindanao was struck by a strong earthquake, the magnitude of which was about 8.0. And although it was not the strongest, it still went down in the history of the country as the most destructive and tragic. The tremors triggered a tsunami that literally crashed into the coastline and caught tourists and local residents by surprise. As a result, about 5,000 people died and another 2.2 thousand went missing. The number of injured included 9,500 people, and approximately 95,000 lost their homes. Many cities in the Philippines were literally wiped off the face of the earth.
10. In 1993, an earthquake occurred about 80 miles from Hokkaido, which triggered a powerful tsunami. And although the Japanese authorities, taught by many years of bitter experience, reacted very quickly and clearly, announcing the possibility of a tsunami and starting evacuation, the island of Okushiri turned out to be isolated, so that literally a few minutes after the first tremors it was covered by huge 30-meter waves. Of the 250 local residents, 197 died.

1) Tsunami in Southeast Asia - 12/26/2004
Giant waves formed by a powerful underwater earthquake with a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale. Waves of gigantic height hit the coasts of several countries in Southeast Asia at different times and even reached the shores of West Africa. The global warning system did not save from the destructive wave, despite the fact that American satellites detected the beginning of the tsunami 15 minutes after the earthquake. American meteorologists were unable to report the tragedy that claimed the lives of approximately 300 thousand people. American politicians took the rap for them, delivering humanitarian aid and declaring that helping the affected countries was in the political interests of the United States.

2) Alaska, USA – 03/28/1964
On March 28, 1964, at 5:30 p.m., an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 Richter occurred in Prince William Sound. It was the most powerful earthquake in Alaska - it has been compared to an explosion equivalent to 12,000 atomic bombs! The disaster led to the death of 122 people, most of them missing - most likely, they were washed away by water. The tsunami waves reached 67 meters - this is the maximum recorded height.
On “Blessed Easter Friday,” a high wave wiped out 3 Alaskan villages, killing 107 people. 4 people died in Oregon and 11 people in California. This happened while a giant wave was passing along the West Coast of the United States. The city of Valdez was completely destroyed, most of the office and business buildings in the center of Anchorage were completely destroyed. Fish and crab processing plants on Kodiak Island looked as if they had been hit by a series of explosions.

3) Lituya Bay, (southwest Alaska, USA) – 07/9/1958
The Fairweather Fault earthquake triggered a massive landslide from the mountainside above Lituya Bay (more than three hundred million cubic meters of rock, soil and ice). This gigantic mass fell into the waters of the northern part of the bay and caused a giant wave 52.4 meters high, traveling at a speed of 160 km/h.

4) Izu and Miyake Islands (eastern Japan) – 01/09/2005
In 2005, an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale occurred on the eastern shores of Japan. Japan's meteorological services reported the approach of a tsunami about 10 minutes after the first underwater tremors.
After the alarm sounded, rescue services evacuated residents of the Izu Islands from the coast to safer places, with the exception of special observers. It took about 30 minutes for the wave to reach Miyake Island. According to experts, such a fast wave, even half a meter high, could be a threat to people.

5) Severo-Kurilsk (USSR) – 11/5/1952
In the fall of 1952, the eastern coast of Kamchatka, the islands of Paramushir and Shumshu, found themselves on the path of a raging disaster. The 1952 tsunami in Severno-Kurilsk is recognized as one of the five largest in the history of the 20th century.
Severo-Kurilsk was completely destroyed. The Kuril and Kamchatka villages of Levashovo, Utesny, Pribrezhny, Reefovy, Kamenisty, Galkino, Podgorny, Okeansky, Major Van, Shelekhovo, Baykovo, Savushkino, Kozyrevsky, Babushkino were razed to the ground...
That autumn of 1952, the country suspected nothing. The Soviet press did not receive information about the tsunami in the Kuril Islands, or about the hundreds and thousands of dead and missing.
6) Alaska, (USA) – 03/9/1957
Another terrible tsunami caused by an earthquake in Alaska was on March 9, 1957 on the Andrean Islands. The earthquake reached 9.1 on the Richter scale. The shocks generated two whole tsunamis, the approximate wave heights reached 15 and 8 meters, respectively. The disaster claimed the lives of 300 people. The earthquake triggered the eruption of the Vsevidov volcano on the island of Umnak, which had been dormant for more than 200 years.
The consequences of the tremors were also felt on the island of Andrianova Spit, where buildings were damaged, two bridges were destroyed, and roads were cracked. The subsequent tsunami caused more global destruction; it reached the Hawaiian Islands, the coasts of California, Japan and Chile. In Hawaii, two villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth, causing property damage of $5 million.

7) Papua New Guinea – 07/17/1998
On the evening of July 17, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Papua New Guinea. The epicenter was located 640 km from the coast in the open ocean, just opposite the small town of Aitape. The tremors were practically not felt on land. Several people woke up, but hardly paid much attention. After 15-20 minutes, the first of 3 giant waves hit the island.
Retreating, the waves dragged people, cars and buildings along with them. The weak houses could not withstand the pressure of the waves; they were also dragged into the ocean. 2200 people died.

8) Concepcion Chile – 02/27/2010
An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale was recorded 115 kilometers north of the city of Concepcion, located close to the center. The earthquake caused great destruction. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued information that the tremors caused a tsunami. Experts clarified that the waves reached three meters in height. The number of victims reaches 300 people.

9) Solomon Islands (archipelago) – 04/2/2007
On April 2, 2007, at 7 a.m. local time, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale occurred in the South Pacific Ocean. The tremors were recorded near the Solomon Islands at a depth of ten kilometers.
A number of countries in the South Pacific have issued tsunami warnings. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center announced the possibility of waves near the Solomon Islands and the nearby island of New Guinea. A low threat level was declared for other states in the South Pacific. There was no evacuation.

10) Coast of Japan – 09/06/2004
110 km from the coastal part of the Kii Peninsula and 130 km from the coast of Kochi Prefecture, two fairly strong earthquakes struck, with a power of about 6.8 and 7.3 on the Richter scale, which resulted in a tsunami. The waves reached a meter in height. Several dozen people became victims of the water disaster.

The worst earthquake and tsunami in the last decade occurred in Japan in 2011 ().

Natural disasters occur on our planet quite often: fires, hurricane winds, abnormal rains, but when they talk about the occurrence of a tsunami, this danger is perceived as an apocalypse. And all because in the history of mankind there have already been tsunamis with colossal destruction and loss of life.

Before moving on to a review of the most destructive tsunamis in the history of mankind, we will talk briefly about why tsunamis occur, what the signs are and the rules of behavior during this natural disaster.

So, a tsunami is a wave of enormous height and length that is formed as a result of impact on the bottom of the ocean or sea. The largest and most destructive tsunamis are formed when there is a strong impact on the bottom, for example, during an earthquake whose epicenter is quite close to the shore with a magnitude on the Richter scale of 6.5.

What are the signs to recognize the occurrence of a tsunami?

• - an earthquake with a magnitude of more than 6.5 in the sea or ocean. On land, tremors may be felt weakly. The stronger the tremors are felt, the closer the epicenter and the greater the likelihood of a tsunami. Indeed, in 80% of cases, a tsunami is formed due to underwater earthquakes;
• - unexpected ebb. When, for no apparent reason, the coastline goes far into the sea and the coastal bottom is exposed. The further the water moves from the shore, the stronger the wave will be;
• - The unusual behavior of animals. For example, they begin to hide in their homes, worry, whine, and gather in groups, which was not typical for them before.

How to survive a tsunami?

Rules of conduct during a tsunami.

If you are in a seismically dangerous region and on the coast of the Pacific or Indian Ocean, then at the first shocks and the water recedes from the coastline, you need to immediately go as far inland as possible, at least 3-4 km from the coastline. It is advisable to climb to some height more than 30 meters high: a hill or some large and strong concrete structure, for example a 9-story building.

Since 2004, several countries have developed tsunami warning systems. As soon as an earthquake occurs near the coast, special services, based on the strength of the earthquake and the distance from the coast, calculate the strength and destructive impact of the tsunami. A decision is immediately made to evacuate the population from dangerous areas.

When receiving a message about an impending tsunami, you should take documents, drinking water, money with you and go to a safe zone. You should not take unnecessary things, as they can constrain or cause inconvenience.

It is important to know that a tsunami is most often not one wave, but a series of waves. Therefore, after the first or second wave hits, under no circumstances should you leave the flooded area. After all, it may not be the first and second waves that are the most destructive. According to statistics, people quite often die or go missing when they try to leave a flooded area, and suddenly the water quickly begins to recede back into the ocean, taking cars, people, and trees with it. It is important to remember that the period between tsunami waves can range from 2 minutes to several hours

If suddenly you realize that the water remains and remains and you cannot hide on your hill, then you should find a suitable object in the water that could serve as a flotation device. You also need to figure out where you will be swimming before jumping into the water. You should also get rid of shoes and wet clothes so that nothing interferes or hinders movement.

It is worth saving another person when you are sure that you can handle it. A drowning person should be prompted, if you see an object nearby that can serve as a flotation device, if you decide to help yourself, then you should swim up from behind and, grabbing your hair, pull your head above the water so that the drowning person can breathe and the panic goes away. If you see a person being carried away by a stream of water, then you should first throw a rope, a stick, or any other object with which you can grab onto and pull the person out of the stream. There is no point in throwing yourself into the current, since most likely you will be carried away into the ocean.

You should leave your shelter only when local authorities somehow notify you of this, for example, a helicopter will fly with a bullhorn or by radio. Or when you see rescuers, check with them whether there will still be waves and only then should you leave your shelter.

The world's largest tsunami and its consequences

Now we will give a few statistics about which tsunamis were the strongest in the history of mankind.

In Chile in 1960, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 9.5 occurred, the height of the waves reached 25 meters, and 1,263 people died. This natural disaster went down in the history of disasters as the “Great Chilean Earthquake.”

In December 2004, one of the strongest earthquakes with a magnitude of 9 occurred in the Indian Ocean. This powerful earthquake caused waves of monstrous force. The height of the waves reached almost 51 meters off the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.

In terms of the number of victims, it was the largest and most destructive tsunami. As a result of this natural disaster, mainly Asian countries were affected: Indonesia, especially the island of Sumatra, Sri Lanka, the coast of Thailand, southern India, the island of Somalia and other countries. The total death toll is enormous - 227,898 people. This is only official data, some scientists believe that there were more than 300,000 victims, since a large number of people went missing, they could have been carried away into the ocean. The main reason for such a large number of victims was that people in these countries were not warned about the threat. People also died because after the first wave they returned to their homes, believing that everything was behind them. However, soon the next wave arrived from the ocean and covered the coast.

In Japan in 2014, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, with a magnitude of 9.00 and wave heights reaching 40.5 meters. It was the largest tsunami in terms of destruction, as 62 cities and villages were affected. The height and force of destruction of these waves exceeded all scientific calculations of scientists.

The next tsunami, which occurred in the Philippines, also claimed a large number of lives - 4,456 people died, the magnitude of the earthquake was 8.1, and the wave height was 8.5 meters.

Then comes the 1998 tsunami in Papua New Guinea, killing 2,183 people. The earthquake was magnitude 7, and the waves reached 15 meters.

The largest tsunami occurred in Alaska in 1958 during a landslide. A huge amount of earth rocks and ice fell into the waters of Lutuya Bay from a height of more than 1000 meters, this caused a tsunami, the height of which reached more than 500 meters off the coast! It is the Alaskan wave that is called the world's largest tsunami.

Below, watch a film about the ten most destructive tsunamis in human history.

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

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The most terrible destructive effect is caused by such rare and terrible attacks of water as huge tsunami waves that wash away everything from the surface of the earth. Such waves arise as a result of underwater earthquakes. Recently, the water element of the earth has increasingly been causing trouble for residents of coastal zones. Perhaps we humans are not treating our planet with due respect. We do not take into account the speed of flows and trajectories of movement, we build where we cannot, we destroy what is not supposed to be. We drain, flood, drive into concrete and change direction. Suffice it to recall the numerous man-made reservoirs, dams, hydroelectric power stations and many other things that people create, sometimes without calculating the consequences of their actions.

Alaska earthquake and tsunami, 1964

March 27, 1964 was Good Friday, but the Christian day of worship was interrupted by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake - the strongest ever recorded in North American history. Subsequent tsunamis wiped out the western North American coastline (also hitting Hawaii and Japan), killing 121 people. Waves of up to 30 meters 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, traveling miles inland, engulfing villages and causing widespread destruction. 189 people died, many of them children, but further loss of life was spared because the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center gave people time to evacuate to higher ground.

1993 Hokkaido earthquake and tsunami

On July 12th, 1993, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred 80 miles off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. Japanese authorities responded quickly, issuing a tsunami warning, but the small island of Okushiri was beyond the relief zone. Within minutes of the earthquake, the island was covered by giant waves - some of which reached 30 meters in height. 197 of the 250 tsunami victims were residents of Okushiri. Although some were saved by memories of the 1983 tsunami that hit the island 10 years earlier, forcing a rapid evacuation.

1979 Tumaco earthquake and tsunami

At 8:00 am on December 12th, 1979, a magnitude 7.9 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 towns. 259 people died, while 798 were injured and 95 were missing.

2006 Java earthquake and tsunami

On July 17th, 2006, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook the seabed near Java. A 7 meter high tsunami slammed into the Indonesian coast, including 100 miles of coastline in Java, which was fortunately spared by the 2004 tsunami. The waves penetrated more than a mile inland, leveling communities and the seaside resort of Pangandaran. At least 668 people died, 65 died, and more than 9,000 required medical attention.

1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake and tsunami

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck the northern coast of Papua New Guinea on July 17, 1998, without itself causing a large tsunami. However, the earthquake caused 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 people, and made approximately 10,000 residents homeless. Numerous villages were heavily damaged, while others, such as Arop and Varapu, were completely destroyed. The only positive thing was that it gave scientists valuable insight into the threat of underwater landslides and the unexpected tsunamis they can cause, which could save lives in the future.

1976 Moro Bay earthquake and tsunami

In the early morning of August 16th, 1976, the small island of Mindanao in the Philippines was struck 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 were unaware of the danger and did not have time to escape to higher ground. Overall, 5,000 people were killed and another 2,200 were 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 wiped out 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 strongest earthquake since such events began to be tracked. On May 22nd, the Great Chile Earthquake of 9.5 magnitude began off the south coast of central Chile, causing a volcanic eruption and a devastating tsunami. Waves reached 25 meters high in some areas, while a 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 colossal 30 meter wave that crashed into the coastal town of Ofunato. Approximately 125,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and transport infrastructure suffered heavy damage. With approximately 25,000 people killed, the tsunami also damaged the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, causing an International Nuclear Disaster. The full consequences of this nuclear disaster are still unclear, but radiation was detected 200 miles from the plant.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

The world was stunned by the deadly tsunami that hit countries surrounding the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. The tsunami was the deadliest ever, with more than 230,000 casualties, affecting people in 14 countries, with the largest numbers affected in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The powerful undersea earthquake had a magnitude of up to 9.3, and the deadly waves it caused reached 30 meters in height. Massive tsunamis inundated some coastlines within 15 minutes and some as much as 7 hours after the initial earthquake. Despite having time to prepare for the impact of waves in some places, the lack of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean meant that most coastal areas were caught by surprise. However, some places were saved thanks to local superstitions and even the knowledge of children who learned about the tsunami at school.

Natural disasters that shook the world Zhmakin Maxim Sergeevich

TSUNAMI IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

TSUNAMI IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

On July 17, 1998, two earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.1 shook the northwestern coast of Papua New Guinea. The epicenter was located 50 km from the village of Aitape. The earthquake led to the formation of a destructive wave up to 15 m high in one of the most remote and isolated parts of the island's coast. The number of deaths as a result of the tsunami exceeded 2,100 people, and several thousand were left homeless.

Before the tragedy, in that part of the coast there was a small paradise lagoon of Varupu with two small islands where the Papuans lived. But the tremors that occurred at the bottom of the sea at an interval of 20 minutes initiated an underwater landslide, which occurred at a distance of more than 3,200 km from the site of the disaster. The wave that appeared washed away 3 villages on a 30 km stretch of coastline. More than 1,100 people were injured in seven settlements. In the capital of the country, Rabaul, 1,100 km from the epicenter of the cataclysm, sea level rose by 60 mm.

No tsunamis of this height have been recorded in this region of the Earth, although small ones occur here all the time. The consequence of the earthquake was a sunken coastline with a length of about 100 km. As a result, local residents were able to admire the newly-minted large lagoon up to 4 m deep.

Since Europeans first arrived on these islands (1st half of the 16th century), no significant seismicity has been observed here.