Huge tsunami. The biggest tsunamis in the world: wave height, causes and consequences

A tsunami is a huge wave that moves the entire water column. The causes of this phenomenon may be the impact of celestial bodies that have fallen into the ocean waters, landslides, human actions (for example, nuclear tests) and earthquakes. It was precisely earthquakes that became powerful impulses for the appearance of destructive waves, which represented the world's largest tsunami. Where were such phenomena recorded, and what consequences were they characterized by?

Lituya Bay: the highest wave in history (1958)

The highest wave ever observed was in 1958 in Alaska. Its occurrence was associated with an earthquake, followed by a further landslide. Stone and ice masses fell from rocky cliffs into the water, which caused a huge wave of 524 meters. The tsunami completely washed away the La Gaussy spit, which served as a separator between the main water area of ​​the bay and Gilbert Bay.

Tsunami: Indian Ocean (2004)

This is the largest tsunami in the world, known for the history of the occurrence of destructive waves, destroying many settlements and causing the death of many people. It swept through fourteen countries located near the Indian Ocean, became the most deadly and destructive in its strength, since it caused the death of over 230,000 people. Most of the victims of the huge waves were in India, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

It all started with an underwater earthquake, which was equal to 9.3 points. It provoked the emergence of incredibly high waves (their height was 30 meters), which bring destruction and death. Fifteen minutes after the tremors, coastal zones were flooded with large waves. But thanks to the accumulated knowledge about the tsunami, some people living here managed to save their lives, although most of the settlements located on the coasts were taken by surprise, which led to mass casualties of the elements.

Tohuku (2011)

The 40-meter tsunami waves that hit Japan and are the consequences of an earthquake of 9 points led to very sad results - the number of dead and missing people was approximately 25,000 people, about 125,000 buildings were destroyed. And the worst thing was that the nuclear power plant was damaged, which became a real disaster on an international scale. And today, the consequences of what happened have not yet been fully studied, but then increased radioactive radiation was detected even at a distance of 200 miles from the power plant.

Tsunami of Valdivia (Chile, 1960)

The strongest tremors (9.5 points) off the southern Chilean coast led to the awakening of the hibernation of the volcano and the emergence of huge waves of destructive force. They were 25 meters high. The impact of the tsunami was experienced not only by different regions of Valdivia, but also by Hawaii and Japan. This large tsunami swept across the Pacific Ocean, then claimed the lives of 60 people living in Hawaii. After the devastating impact on Hawaii, huge waves appeared in Japan, claiming an additional 140 lives. In total, 6,000 deaths were counted in this natural disaster.

Tsunami: Moro Bay (1976)

This tsunami was no less devastating and caused the deaths of 5,000 people, and approximately 2,200 more are considered missing without a trace. 90,000 people living on the island of Mindanao (Philippines) were deprived of their homes. The height of the waves of this tsunami, which was the result of shocks of 7.9 points, was approximately 4.5 meters. Over the entire existence of the Philippines, the impact of these waves has become a huge disaster in its consequences, because many settlements simply disappeared.

Tsunami: Papua New Guinea (1998)

First, there was a 7-magnitude earthquake. No one could have imagined that it could lead to a tsunami. But after powerful tremors, a landslide appeared, and as a result, waves appeared, reaching a height of 15 meters. Huge waves, rushing to the coast, caused the death of more than 2,000 local residents, 10,000 people were deprived of their homes. Many settlements were badly destroyed by huge waves, and some were simply destroyed. However, after this tsunami, scientists obtained important information regarding the nature of the occurrence of destructive waves, which then could help prevent the death of many people in such natural disasters.

Occasionally, tsunami waves occur in the ocean. They are very insidious - they are completely invisible in the open ocean, but as soon as they approach the coastal shelf, where the depth of the ocean is rapidly decreasing, the wave begins to grow to an incredible height and crashes on the coast with terrible force, destroying everything around and deepening deep into the coast, sometimes several kilometers. . As a rule, such a wave is not single, it is followed by several weaker ones, but the distance between them reaches tens of kilometers. It is also worth adding the huge speed of the wave in the ocean, comparable to the speed of an airplane. Most often, the most terrible tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes in tectonic faults. The most powerful of them claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and caused colossal destruction of coastal infrastructure.

1. Alaska, 1958

The people of Alaska still remember the date July 9, 1958. For the Lituya Fjord in the northeast of the Gulf of Alaska, this day was fatal. On this day, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9.1 occurred here, which shook the surrounding mountains and caused part of the mountain to collapse into the sea, which was the direct cause of the tsunami. The rockfall continued until evening, a landslide from a height of 910 meters carried down blocks of ice and huge fragments of rocks. Then it was calculated that about 300 million cubic meters of rock had moved into the bay. As a result, part of the bay of the bay was overflowing with water, and a giant landslide moved to the opposite shore, destroying the forests on the Fairweather coast.
This gigantic landslide caused a cyclopean wave more than half a kilometer (524 m) high, which became the highest ever recorded by man. This incredibly powerful stream of water washed away Lituya Bay. Vegetation on the slopes of the mountains was uprooted, crushed and carried away into the boiling abyss. The spit separating Gilbert's Bay and the water area of ​​the bay has disappeared. After the end of the "doomsday" everywhere there were blockages, severe destruction and huge cracks in the ground. Approximately 300,000 Alaskans died as a result of this disaster.

A tornado (in America this phenomenon is called a tornado) is a fairly stable atmospheric vortex, most often occurring in thunderclouds. He is a visa...

2. Japan, 2011

Just a few years ago, the whole world watched numerous footage of the terrible tsunami hitting the Japanese coast. The consequences of this blow will be remembered by the Japanese for many decades to come. At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, two of the largest lithospheric plates collided, causing a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9 on the Richter scale, which was about 2 times more powerful than the infamous 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean. It has already been given the name "Great East Japan Earthquake".
20 minutes after the earthquake, a huge wave more than 40 meters high hit the densely populated Japanese coast. It was one of the strongest waves that rolled on the Japanese islands. More than 25,000 people died as a result of the tsunami. But this was only the first powerful blow, behind which the second was not immediately visible, the consequences of which will inevitably stretch for decades. The fact is that the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant standing on the shore was also hit by a tsunami. Her system could not withstand the impact of the elements and failed, as a result of which control over some reactors was lost, up to the melting of their shells. Radioactive substances entered the groundwater and spread outside the station. Now there is an exclusion zone around it for tens of kilometers. As a result of the tsunami strike, colossal destruction occurred: 400,000 buildings, railways and roads, bridges, seaports, airports. Japan is still engaged in the restoration of the destroyed infrastructure of the coast.

3. Indian Ocean, 2004

The Indian Ocean has prepared a terrible Christmas present for the inhabitants of many countries on its coast - a catastrophic tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004. The cause of the disaster was a powerful underwater earthquake in the Andaman Islands, not far from the island of Sumatra. As a result of a break in the earth's crust, the bottom there abruptly and significantly shifted, which gave rise to an unusually strong tsunami wave. True, in the ocean it was only about 60 cm high. At a speed of about 800 km / h, it began to move in all directions: to Sumatra, Thailand, the east coast of India and Sri Lanka, and even Madagascar.
Within 8 hours after the tremors, the tsunami hit most of the coast of the Indian Ocean, and during the day its echoes were noted in other parts of the world. The main blow came in Indonesia, where the tidal wave hit the densely populated coast, destroying everything built by man there and deepening into the coast for kilometers.
Tens of thousands of people died almost instantly. Those who were close to the shore and did not find a high shelter had no chance to escape, since the water, overflowing with debris and debris carried away by it, did not subside for more than a quarter of an hour, and then inexorably carried its prey into the open ocean.
More than 250 thousand people died as a result of this catastrophe, and economic losses cannot be counted. Over 5 million residents of the coast were forced to leave their homes, 2 million simply died, and many needed help. Many international charitable organizations responded to the disaster by sending humanitarian aid by air.

Throughout the history of mankind, the strongest earthquakes have repeatedly caused enormous damage to people and caused a huge number of casualties among the population ...

4. Krakatau, Indonesia, 1883

In this fateful year, the catastrophic eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatau occurred, as a result of which the volcano itself was destroyed, and a powerful wave formed in the ocean that struck the entire coast of the Indian Ocean. The eruption began on August 27 with powerful lava flows. When sea water rushed into the hot mouth of the volcano, a colossal explosion occurred that literally cut off two-thirds of the island, the fragments of which collapsed into the ocean and caused a series of tsunamis. There is evidence that 40 thousand people died from this disaster. The one who lived closer than 500 km from the volcano failed to survive. Even in distant South Africa there were victims of this tsunami.

5. Papua New Guinea, 1998

In July 1998, there was a disaster in Papua New Guinea. It all started with a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which triggered a powerful landslide towards the sea. As a result, a 15-meter wave was formed, which hit the shores, killing over 200 thousand inhabitants at once and leaving many thousands more homeless (the Varupu people lived in a small bay of Varupu, sandwiched between two islands). Then, with an interval of half an hour, two powerful tremors occurred, causing huge waves that destroyed all settlements within 30 kilometers. Near the capital of the state - the city of Rabaupe, the water level in the ocean rose by 6 cm. Although the inhabitants of New Guinea often face earthquakes and tsunamis, they will not remember a tidal wave of such force. A huge wave hid under itself more than 100 square kilometers of the island, holding the water level at 4 meters.

6. Philippines, 1976

Less than half a century ago, there was a small island of Mindanao in the Pacific Trench of Cotabato. It was on the southern tip of the picturesque Philippine Islands. The inhabitants of the island enjoyed the heavenly conditions of life and did not suspect what a threat hung over them. But there was a powerful 8-magnitude earthquake, which gave rise to a powerful tsunami wave. This wave seemed to cut off the coastline of the island. 5 thousand people who did not find a saving height were washed away by a water stream, 2.5 thousand people could not be found (it is obvious that they were carried away into the ocean), almost 10 thousand were injured to varying degrees, over 90 thousand people were left homeless to spend the night open air. For the Philippines, such a disaster was the largest.
Scientists have found that after the catastrophic earthquake, the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi changed their coordinates. For the island of Mindanao, this day was certainly the most devastating in its history.

Natural hazards are extreme climatic or meteorological phenomena that occur naturally in a particular area.

7. Chile, 1960

The Chilean earthquake of 1960 was the most powerful since the moment when a person began to fix the force of the shocks. The big Chilean earthquake happened on May 22 and had a magnitude of 9.5. It was accompanied by a volcanic eruption and a catastrophic tsunami. In some places, the waves reached 25 meters in height. After 15 hours, the wave reached the distant Hawaiian Islands, where 61 people died from it, and after another 7 hours it hit the coast of Japan, killing 142 residents. In general, about 6 thousand people died from this tsunami.
It was after this event that people decided that the entire coast of the ocean should be notified of the danger of a tsunami, no matter how far it was from the epicenter of the disaster.

8. Italy, 1908

The most powerful earthquake in Europe generated three tsunami waves, as a result of the cataclysm, the cities of Reggio Calabria, Messino and Palmi were completely destroyed. 15 minutes was enough to destroy thousands of buildings, and with them cultural values ​​and unique monuments of the history of Sicily. As for the dead, there is only a rough estimate of their number - from 70 thousand to 100 thousand people, although there are suggestions that there were 2 times more victims.

9. Kuril Islands, 1952

A 7-point earthquake in the Kuril Islands caused a tsunami that wiped out Severo-Kurilsk and a number of fishermen's villages. At that time, the residents did not yet know what a tsunami was, and after the shocks they returned to their homes, where they were covered by a 20-meter wave. Those who survived the first wave were covered by the second and third. In total, 2,300 people became victims of the ocean attack. As it was then customary in the USSR, they kept silent about the disaster, and learned about it decades later. The city itself was then moved higher. But this tragedy prompted the creation of a tsunami warning system in the USSR, as well as the more active development of oceanology and seismology and scientific research in this area.

Environmental disasters have their own specifics - not a single person may die during them, but at the same time a very significant amount will be inflicted ...

10. Japan, 1707

Of course, Japan has had many tsunamis in its long history. It is no coincidence that the very term "tsunami" was coined by the Japanese. Back in 1707, an 8.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Osaka, which caused a wave 25 meters high. But the first wave was followed by several more weaker, though no less destructive blows of the elements. As a result, 30 thousand people died.

Tsunamis are the largest and most powerful ocean waves that sweep away everything in their path with terrifying force. A feature of such a dangerous natural disaster is the size of the moving wave, its enormous speed, the gigantic distance between the crests, which reaches tens of kilometers. The tsunami poses an extreme danger to the coastal zone. Approaching the shore, the wave picks up tremendous speed, shrinks in front of an obstacle, grows significantly in size and inflicts a crushing and irreparable blow to the land zone.

What caused this huge surge of water, which leaves no chance for the existence of even the highest and fortified structures? What natural forces can create a water tornado and deprive cities and regions of the right to survive? The movement of tectonic plates and splits in the earth's crust are the worst harbingers of the collapse of a giant stream.

The largest tsunami in the world in the history of mankind

What is the largest wave in the world? Flipping through the pages of history. The date of July 9, 1958 is well remembered by the people of Alaska. It was this day that became fatal for the Lituya Fjord, which is located in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Alaska. The harbinger of the historic event was an earthquake, the magnitude of which, according to measurements, is 9.1 points. This is what caused the terrifying rockfall, which caused the collapse of rocks and a wave of unprecedented magnitude.

The whole day of July 9 was clear and sunny weather. The water level dropped by 1.5 meters, fishermen were fishing on ships (Lituya Bay has always been a favorite place for avid fishermen). Toward evening, around 22:00 local time, a landslide that rolled into the water from a height of 910 meters pulled huge stones and blocks of ice after it. The total weight of the mass was approximately 300 million cubic meters. The northern part of the bay of Lituya Bay was completely flooded with water. At the same time, a giant pile of stones was thrown to the opposite side, as a result of which the entire green massif of the Fairweather coast was destroyed.

A landslide of this magnitude provoked the appearance of a huge wave, the height of which was 524 meters! This is approximately a house of 200 floors! It was the largest and highest wave in the world. The gigantic force of the flow of ocean water literally washed away Lituya Bay. The tidal wave picked up speed (by this time it had already accelerated to 160 km / h) and rushed towards the island of Cenotaphia. Terrible landslides simultaneously descended from the mountains to the water, carrying a column of dust and stones. The wave was so large that the foot of the mountain was hidden under it.

Trees and green spaces that covered the slopes of the mountains were uprooted and sucked into the water column. The tsunami now and then rushed from side to side inside the bay, covering the points of the shallows and sweeping away the forest covers of the high northern mountains in its path. From the spit of La Gaussy, which separated the waters of the bay and Gilbert's Bay, there was not a trace left. After everything calmed down, on the shore one could see catastrophic cracks in the ground, severe destruction and blockages. The buildings erected by the fishermen were completely destroyed. The scale of the disaster could not be estimated.

This wave claimed the lives of about three hundred thousand people. Only the longboat managed to escape, which, by some incredible miracle, was thrown out of the bay and thrown across the shallows. Once on the other side of the mountain, the fishermen were left without a boat, but were rescued two hours later. The bodies of the fishermen of another longboat were carried away into the abyss of water. They were never found.

Another terrible tragedy

Terrible destruction remained after the invasion of the tsunami on December 26, 2004 for the inhabitants of the coast of the Indian Ocean. A powerful jolt in the ocean caused a disastrous wave. In the depths of the Pacific Ocean, near the island of Sumatra, a fracture of the earth's crust occurred, which provoked a displacement of the bottom over a distance of more than 1000 kilometers. The largest wave ever to hit the coast came from this fault. At first, its height was no more than 60 centimeters. But it accelerated, and now a 20-meter shaft was rushing at an insane, unprecedented speed of 800 kilometers per hour towards the islands of Sumatra and Thailand to the east of India and Sri Lanka to the west! In eight hours, the terrible power of a tsunami, unprecedented in history until now, circled the entire coast of the Indian Ocean, and in 24 hours the entire World Ocean!

The biggest destruction happened on the coast of Indonesia. The tidal wave buried cities and districts tens of kilometers inland. The islands of Thailand have become a mass grave for tens of thousands of people. The inhabitants of the coastal areas had no chance of salvation, as the water blanket held the cities under it for more than 15 minutes. Huge human casualties were the result of a natural disaster. The economic losses were also impossible to count. More than 5 million people were forced to leave their homes, more than one million needed help, two million people needed new housing. International organizations responded and helped the victims in every possible way.

Disaster in Prince William Bay

Strong, irreplaceable losses were caused by an earthquake on March 27, 1964 in the Prince William Sound (Alaska) of 9.2 on the Richter scale. They covered a huge area of ​​800,000 square kilometers. Such a powerful push from a depth of more than 20 kilometers can be compared with the simultaneous explosion of 12,000 atomic bombs! The western coast of the United States of America was significantly affected, which literally covered a huge tsunami. The wave reached the Antarctic and Japan. Villages and settlements, enterprises, the city of Valdez were wiped off the face of the earth.

The wave swept away everything that came in its way: dams, concrete blocks, houses, buildings, ships in the port. The wave height reached 67 meters! This, of course, is not the biggest wave in the world, but it brought a lot of destruction. Fortunately, a deadly stream claimed the lives of about 150 people. The number of victims could be much higher, but due to the sparsely populated areas of these places, only 150 local residents died. Given the area and the gigantic power of the stream, they had no chance of surviving.

Great East Japan Earthquake

What force of nature destroyed the coast of Japan and brought irreparable losses to its inhabitants, one can only imagine. After this catastrophe, the consequences will be felt for many years to come. At the junction of the world's two largest lithospheric plates, an earthquake with a power of 9.0 on the Richter scale, and approximately twice the force of the tremors caused by the earthquake in the Indian Ocean in 2004, occurred. The tragic event of a huge scale is also called the "Great East Japan Earthquake". Literally in 20 minutes, a terrifying wave, the height of which exceeded 40 meters, reached the shores of Japan, where there were a large number of people.

About 25 thousand people became victims of the tsunami. It was the biggest wave in the history of the inhabitants of the East. But that was only the beginning of the disaster. The scale of the tragedy grew with every hour after the attack by the most powerful stream of the Fokushima-1 nuclear power plant. The system of the power plant went out of operation due to tremors and shock waves. The failure was followed by the meltdown of the reactors at the power units. Today, a zone within a radius of tens of kilometers is a zone of exclusion and disaster. About 400 thousand buildings and structures were destroyed, bridges, railways, roads, airports, ports and shipping stations were destroyed. It will take years to rebuild the country after the terrible catastrophe brought by the highest wave.

Disaster on the coast of Papua New Guinea

Another disaster struck the coast of Papua New Guinea in July 1998. An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 on the measurement scale, initiated by a powerful landslide, caused a wave of more than 15 meters in height, which killed more than 200 thousand people, leaving thousands more homeless on the island. Before the invasion of ocean water, there was a small bay called Varupu, the waters of which washed two islands, where the people of Varupu lived peacefully, worked and traded. Two powerful and unexpected impulses from underground happened with an interval of 30 minutes.

They set in motion a huge shaft, which caused strong waves that demolished several villages from the face of New Guinea for a length of 30 kilometers. Residents of seven other settlements needed medical assistance and were hospitalized. The sea level in the capital of New Guinea, Rabaul, has risen by 6 centimeters. A tidal wave of this magnitude has not been observed before, although in this region local residents often suffer from disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes. A giant wave destroyed and swept under water an area of ​​more than 100 square kilometers to a depth of 4 meters.

Tsunami in the Philippines

Exactly until August 16, 1976, there was a small island of Mindanao in the oceanic depression of Cotabato. It was the most southern, picturesque and exotic place among all the islands of the Philippines. Local residents could not at all predict that a terrible earthquake with a power of 8 points on the Richter scale would destroy this amazing place, washed by the seas from all sides. A huge force formed a tsunami as a result of an earthquake.

The wave seemed to cut off the entire coastline of Mindanao. 5 thousand people who did not have time to escape died under the shelter of sea water. Approximately 2.5 thousand inhabitants of the island were not found, 9.5 thousand received various degrees of injury, more than 90 thousand lost their homes and remained on the street. It was the strongest activity in the history of the Philippine Islands. Scientists who studied the details of the disaster found that the power of such a natural phenomenon caused the movement of the water mass, which provoked a shift in the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo. It was the worst and most devastating event in the history of the island of Mindanao.

Nature sometimes arranges various surprises for the inhabitants of the planet, most of which actually turn out to be catastrophes and natural disasters. Such cataclysms claim a huge number of lives and cause significant harm to cities. Earthquakes were no exception, during which the inhabitants of the coast wait with bated breath for the next catastrophe - the tsunami. Water during a tsunami can destroy everything in its path, and its strength depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. Even scientists with their latest technologies cannot predict the exact appearance of a tsunami, and not everyone manages to escape.
Most destructive tsunamis:

• 1. Indian Ocean, December 26, 2004
• 5. Chile. May 22, 1960

Indian Ocean, December 26, 2004

The Indian Ocean did not remain calm that day either. First, the whole of Southeast Asia was frightened by a terrible earthquake that lasted almost 10 minutes and had a magnitude of more than 9 points. It began near the island of Sumatra. This earthquake caused a terrible and destructive tsunami, from the actions of which died over 200,000 people.

A huge wave swept through the Indian Ocean at a speed of about 800 km / h and caused irreparable damage to all coastal regions. Sumatra and Java were the first to be hit, then Thailand was in the way of the tsunami. A few hours later, the waves hit Somalia, India, the Maldives, Bangladesh and other countries. The Maldives, for example, are almost completely under water, as they do not rise much above sea level. These islands were saved by coral reefs, which took the brunt of the tsunami. Then the wave dealt a crushing blow to the African coast, where several hundred people suffered from the elements.

The awakening in 1883 of the Krakatoa volcano brought monstrous consequences. Its eruption caused destruction and death of people on the nearby islands of Sumatra and Java. The first eruption shocked the population of the islands, but no one could imagine what kind of victims this would lead to. The second eruption caused not only a monstrous explosion, but also a gigantic wave. She destroyed the cities of Anyer and Mark in the blink of an eye and washed 295 villages into the ocean.

Over 35 thousand people and hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless. The wave was so strong that it was able to lift a Dutch warship to a height of 9 meters. She traveled around the world several times. The consequences of the tsunami were felt by all the coastal cities of the world, although not on the same scale as the islands directly next to the Krakatoa volcano.

The terrible consequences of the tsunami in Japan plunged the whole world into horror. An earthquake of 9 points even received an official name, and the height of the tsunami waves averaged 11 meters. Sometimes the waves reached 40 meters in height. It is hard to even imagine the destructive effect of a tsunami of such enormous force. In just minutes, the wave penetrated deep into the country, sweeping settlements from its path and throwing cars and ships to the sides.

perished 25 thousand people, the same number were declared missing. Echoes of the natural disaster even reached Chile. Not without an ecological catastrophe - because of the terrible tsunami, the nuclear power plant was destroyed. This caused severe radiation pollution, and the territory 20 km around the power plant became an exclusion zone. The Japanese will now need at least 50 years to eliminate all the consequences of the accident.

Another earthquake here ended in a terrible catastrophe that claimed thousands of lives. It initiated a massive underwater landslide that triggered a tsunami. There were three huge waves in total and they moved one after another with a short time interval. The greatest destruction occurred in the Sissano lagoon.

perished over 2,000 people and even more people were left homeless. Hundreds of people went missing. The water washed away all the coastal villages, and after a natural disaster, 100 sq. m of the coast went under water, forming a large lagoon. There was a lot of controversy about what happened, because it was possible to warn people about the disaster (the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center knew about the possibility of a tsunami), and the locals themselves, knowing about the danger, did not hide. Some even specially went to look where such noise is heard.

The earthquake and the tsunami that followed caused monstrous damage to the Chilean coast. About a thousand people died in a small fishing village that was in the path of the tsunami, and the port of Ankund was completely washed away from the shore. Eyewitnesses say that the water in the sea first rose, and then began to move away from the coast, forming a huge wave. Many residents decided to try to escape by going out into the ocean in boats. Approximately 700 people fled their homes in the hope of avoiding the disaster, but none of them returned. Then the wave, having had fun off the coast of Chile, went further into the ocean. There she washed away a huge stone building from the shores of Easter Island and reached the Hawaiian Islands.

In Hawaii, it destroyed and washed into the ocean most of the buildings and cars. 60 people died. California also suffered, 30 ships sank here, and several hundred gallons of fuel fell into the water. Not calming down, the tsunami hit Japan. This is where the real disaster unfolded. 122 dead and thousands of buildings washed into the sea. According to some reports, 5,000 buildings were destroyed in Japan. A few days later, a new disaster happened in Chile - 14 volcanoes “woke up”.

Nature, unfortunately, cannot be controlled and trained. Natural disasters most often cannot be prevented, but you can be prepared for them. You should also know what to do if you are a participant in such a disaster. The main thing is to be able to concentrate and not panic, and, of course, no one has canceled assistance to other victims.

Which amazes with its power, strength and boundless energy. This element attracts the attention of researchers who are trying to understand the very nature of the occurrence of giant waves in order to prevent terrible consequences from the destructive power of water. This review will present a list of the most grandiose tsunamis in their scope that have occurred over the past 60 years.

Destructive wave in Alaska

The largest tsunamis in the world occur under the influence of various factors, but earthquakes are the most common cause of this phenomenon. It was the tremors that became the basis for the formation of a deadly wave back in 1964 in Alaska. Good Friday (March 27) - one of the main Christian holidays - was overshadowed by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 points. The natural phenomenon had a direct impact on the ocean - there were waves 30 meters long and 8 meters high. The tsunami demolished everything in its path: the West Coast of North America suffered, as well as Haiti and Japan. On this day, about 120 people died, and the territory of Alaska decreased by 2.4 meters.

Deadly tsunami in Samoa

The photo of the largest wave in the world (tsunami) invariably impresses and evokes the most conflicting feelings - this is both horror from the realization of the scale of the ensuing catastrophe, and a kind of reverence for the forces of nature. In general, in recent years, a lot of such pictures have appeared on news resources. They depict the terrible consequences of a natural disaster that took place in Samoa. According to reliable data, about 198 local residents died during the disaster, most of them children.

An 8.1 magnitude earthquake caused the largest tsunami in the world. You can see photos of the consequences in the review. The maximum wave height reached 13.7 meters. The water destroyed several villages as it moved 1 mile (1.6 km) inland. Subsequently, after this tragic event, the region began to monitor the situation, which made it possible to evacuate people on time.

Hokkaido Island, Japan

The rating "The biggest tsunami in the world" cannot be imagined without the incident that occurred in Japan in 1993. The root cause of the formation of giant waves is an earthquake, which was localized 129 km from the coast. The authorities announced the evacuation of people, but it was not possible to avoid casualties. The height of the largest tsunami in the world, which occurred in Japan, was 30 meters. Special barriers were not enough to stop the powerful flow, so the small island of Okusuri was completely submerged in water. On this day, about 200 people out of 250 inhabitants who inhabited the city died.

City of Tumaco: the horror of a December morning

1979, December 12 - one of the most tragic days in the life of people living in the Pacific coast. It was on this morning at about 8:00 am that an earthquake occurred, the magnitude of which was 8.9 points. But this was not the most serious shock that awaited people. After that, a whole series of tsunamis hit small villages and cities, which swept away everything in its path. Within a few hours of the disaster, 259 people died, more than 750 were seriously injured, and 95 residents were reported missing. Below, readers are presented with a photo of the largest wave in the world. The tsunami in Tumaco cannot leave anyone indifferent.

Indonesian tsunami

5th place in the list of "The biggest tsunamis in the world" is occupied by a wave 7 meters high, but stretching for 160 km. The resort area of ​​Pangadaryan disappeared from the face of the earth along with the people who inhabited this area. In July 2006, 668 residents died, more than 9,000 turned to medical institutions for help. About 70 people were reported missing.

Papua New Guinea: tsunami for the benefit of humanity

The largest tsunami wave in the world, despite the severity of all the consequences, was an opportunity for scientists to advance in the study of the underlying causes of this natural phenomenon. In particular, the primary role of strong underwater landslides, which contribute to water fluctuations, was determined.

In July 1998, an earthquake occurred, the magnitude of which was 7 points. Despite the seismic activity, scientists were unable to predict the tsunami, which caused numerous casualties. More than 2,000 people died under the pressure of 15- and 10-meter waves, more than 10 thousand people lost their homes and livelihoods, 500 people disappeared.

Philippines: no chance for salvation

If you ask experts what is the largest tsunami in the world, they will unanimously name the wave of 1976. During this period, seismic activity was recorded near the island of Mindanao, in the source, the strength of the tremors reached 7.9 points. Because of the earthquake, a grandiose wave was formed in its scope, which covered 700 km of the coast of the Philippines. The tsunami reached a height of 4.5 m. The inhabitants did not have time to evacuate, which led to numerous casualties. More than 5,000 people were killed, 2,200 people were declared missing, and about 9,500 local residents were injured. A total of 90,000 people were affected by the tsunami and lost their homes.

pacific death

The year 1960 is marked in red in history. This is due to the fact that at the end of May this year, 6,000 people died due to an earthquake of magnitude 9.5. It was the seismic tremors that contributed to the volcanic eruption and the formation of a colossal wave that swept everything in its path. The height of the tsunami reached 25 meters, which in 1960 was a true record.

Tsunami in Tohuku: nuclear disaster

Japan faced it again, but the consequences were even worse than in 1993. A powerful wave, which reached 30 meters, hit Ofunato, a Japanese city. As a result of the disaster, more than 125 thousand buildings were decommissioned, in addition, the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant was seriously damaged. The nuclear disaster has become one of the most serious in recent years in the world. There is still no reliable information about what the true damage to the environment was. However, there is an opinion that the radiation spread to 320 km.

Tsunami in India - a threat to all mankind!

The natural disasters listed in the World's Biggest Tsunamis cannot compare to the event that occurred in December 2004. The wave hit several states that have access to the Indian Ocean. This is a real global one that required more than 14 billion dollars to correct the situation. According to the reports that were presented after the tsunami, more than 240 thousand people died living in various countries: India, Indonesia, Thailand, etc.

The reason for the formation of a 30-meter wave is an earthquake. His strength was 9.3 points. The water flow reached the coast of some countries 15 minutes after the start of seismic activity, which did not give people a chance to escape from death. Other states fell into the power of the elements after 7 hours, but, despite such a delay, the population was not evacuated due to the lack of a warning system. Some people, oddly enough, were saved by the children who studied the signs of an impending disaster at school.

Tsunami in the fjord-shaped bay of Alaska

In the history of meteorological observations, a tsunami was recorded, the height of which exceeds all conceivable and unthinkable records. In particular, scientists were able to record a wave with a height of 524 meters. A powerful water stream rushed at a speed of 160 km / h. There was not a single living place left on the way: the trees were uprooted, the rocks were covered with cracks and faults. The La Gaussy spit was wiped off the face of the Earth. Fortunately, there were few casualties. Only the death of the crew of one of the launches, which at that moment was in the bay nearby, was recorded.