Imagine an immense wall of water
crashing into the skyline
of New York City,
the iconic bridges of London
and the sprawling cityscape
of Los Angeles.
The unimaginable
chaos, destruction
and sheer power of nature
unleashed upon
these bustling urban centers.
While this catastrophe scenario
hasn't played out in reality
for these great cities,
the reality is tsunamis
of colossal proportions do exist.
They've struck
other corners of the globe,
leaving behind stories of survival,
rebuilding and resilience.
Today, we're comparing the true scale
of the most enormous tsunamis in history.
Which one of these disasters happened
inland instead of on the ocean?
And how did two fishermen survive
a wave over 500 meters high?
Well, keep watching to find out
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Our journey begins on July 28th, 1976,
with a powerful earthquake
in the Bohai Sea near Tangshan, China.
The seismic activity triggered a tsunami
with waves about 10 m (33 ft) tall.
The quake itself resulted in an estimated
242,000 fatalities,
making it
one of the deadliest in recorded history.
The disaster exposed vulnerabilities
in the country's
infrastructure and emergency
response capabilities,
but the city rebuilt itself,
incorporating the lessons learned
from that fateful day.
Next, our list takes us further back in
time to the Cascadia tsunami of 1700.
A Megathrust earthquake
along the Cascadia Subduction zone
produced waves that were 26 m (85 ft) tall.
They had a severe impact
on indigenous populations
in the Pacific Northwest
from Vancouver Island
to Northern California.
Damage caused by the Cascadia tsunami
was extensive, to say the least.
It reshaped
the topography of the coastal regions
it slammed into.
Forests were stripped away,
and the powerful surges
of water inundated low lying
areas, traveling
several kilometers inland in some places
long before
scientific instruments
and seismographs,
indigenous oral traditions spoke of a time
when the very earth
beneath their feet trembled
and the water rose in a tumultuous dance.
Scientific studies have drawn
the same conclusions,
reminding us that multiple
lenses can be used
to fully view the stories
of our shared history.
As for survival tips, well,
it's important to know
the natural
warning signs, such
as strong ground shaking
and have an evacuation
plan in place when in coastal areas.
Fast forward now to 2004,
when the Indian Ocean tsunami
shook the world.
Triggered by a massive undersea
earthquake.
The devastation
this tsunami caused was widespread.
The death toll exceeded 230,000 people
across multiple countries.
The sheer scale of this
tsunami was unprecedented.
Waves, some towering up to 30 meters,
surged across the Indian Ocean,
striking the coastal regions
of multiple countries,
including Indonesia,
Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.
Entire coastal communities
were swallowed by the relentless waves
and bustling tourist destinations
became scenes
of unimaginable devastation.
The destruction extended
beyond the immediate impact zone.
Infrastructure crumbled,
leaving behind the ruins of homes,
schools and vital facilities.
If you're near the coast
and you feel an earthquake
that lasts more than 20 seconds,
evacuate to higher ground immediately.
Heading to Japan in 2011,
we confront our most recent entry,
the Tohoku Tsunami
with waves reaching heights
over 40 m (131 ft)
slammed into the east coast of Honshu
with unrelenting fury.
The damage from these massive waves
was both profound and far reaching.
Entire coastal communities
were obliterated,
and the urban landscapes of cities
like Sendai were transformed into
landscapes of debris and destruction.
The human toll was staggering.
The Tohoku tsunami
claimed the lives of over
15,000 people, injured countless others,
and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
Scars of loss and trauma
echoed throughout the affected regions.
But the tsunami's impact
wasn't just confined to the shoreline.
In a cruel twist of fate,
the colossal waves breached the defenses
of the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant,
triggering a nuclear crisis
that added another layer of complexity
to the ongoing disaster.
When living in coastal cities,
it's essential
to be aware of tsunami evacuation routes,
practice drills
and have emergency supplies ready.
Now our journey takes us back to
October 9th, 1963,
to the region of northern Italy.
This is the only entry on our list
that didn't happen at sea,
but that doesn't make it
any less devastating.
The Vajont dam,
a towering structure
nestled in the scenic
Piave valley,
held back the waters of the Vajont river,
creating a vast reservoir.
On that fateful autumn day, a massive
landslide crashed into the Vajont Dam.
The impact unleashed a colossal wave
that surged over the dam
and into the valley below.
Initially estimated at around
250 m (820 ft) high,
the tsunami rushed down
onto the unsuspecting communities
along the Piave valley.
Entire villages were obliterated
in an instant.
Buildings
and infrastructure
were reduced to rubble.
Lessons learned from this tragedy
contributed to advancements
in dam design,
risk assessment
and the importance of thorough
geological studies before
constructing such ambitious projects.
If you live near a dam, stay informed
about its safety measures
and have an evacuation plan in place.
Our final stop takes us to 1958
and the awe Lituya Bay Tsunami.
Lituya Bay,
nestled between the towering mountains
and icy glaciers of Alaska
was the stage for a seismic spectacle
that defied expectations.
The trigger for the Lituya Bay tsunami
was a massive landslide
originating high on the flanks
of the Fairweather Mountain Range.
The landslide cascaded into the bay,
displacing an immense volume of water
and birthed
a wave of unprecedented proportions.
The tsunami surged over the headland
at the entrance of Lituya Bay,
reaching an astonishing height
of approximately 524 m (1,729 ft).
This colossal wave ripped the trees
from the mountainside,
leaving a visible scar.
Astonishingly, two boats
anchored in the bay at the time
managed to ride
the crest of the wave and survive.
The eyewitness accounts of the fishermen
aboard those vessels
provide a rare perspective
on the terrifying beauty
of the natural disaster.
With its record breaking height,
Lituya Bay stands
as a unique phenomenon
in the study of tsunamis.
It blew away any preconceived notion
about how high a tsunami wave could get.
And it was a reminder
that these huge waves
aren't always generated
at the bottom of the ocean.
These stories we've uncovered
remind us of the incredible spirit
of humanity in the face of adversity.
Want to know how a woman survived
the massive waves
of the 2004 tsunami in Thailand?
Well, we've got her story right here
on how to survive.