Mother Nature also hits humanity hard from time to time.
In the case of tsunamis, the damage starts in the oceans, but at the same time produces earthquakes, eruptions and glacier collapses.
Tsunamis are considered one of the most destructive natural forces due to their power, but also because of their speed of propagation. Simulates the route speed of a commercial airplane.
If the usual depth of the Pacific Ocean, close to 4,000 meters, is taken into account, waves that move at 700 km/h can be caused. And since waves lose their strength in inverse relation to their size, being 4,000 meters high, they can travel thousands of kilometers away without losing much power.
Its size will depend on the magnitude of the earthquake and the vertical deformation of the seabed. Not all earthquakes generate tsunamis, but only those of considerable magnitude, which occur under the seabed and are capable of deforming it.
The most devastating cases of gigantic waves have occurred in the Pacific Ocean, but cases have also been recorded in the Atlantic and even the Mediterranean. A large tsunami accompanied the Lisbon earthquakes in 1755, Puerto Rico’s Mona Pass in 1918, and Canada’s Grand Banks in 1929.
On December 26, the most devastating tsunami of all time hit the coast of Indonesia. It also affected Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Maldives and southeastern China. More than 227,000 people died.
This time, the tsunami was caused by a magnitude 9.3 underwater earthquake.
According to different reports, the destruction of villages, tourist centers and cities amounted to more than 10 billion euros.
On March 11, 2011, a devastating tsunami occurred in Japan with 10-meter waves lasting six minutes. In fact, it was the fourth most powerful earthquake since records began in the area. It was popularly known as the Great East Japan Earthquake.
More than 20,000 people died. In addition, it affected the reactors at the Fukishima plant, which emitted radiation when they melted.
Damage of more than 25,000 million euros was estimated.
On May 22, 1960, the Valdivia region (Chile) suffered an earthquake of magnitude 9.5 for 14 long minutes. More than 1,600 people died, but the more than 2 million survivors were left homeless.
It came from the Pacific Ocean with waves 25 meters high.
On December 28, 1908, Sicily and Calabria in Italy suffered a 7.1 magnitude tsunami in which more than 123,000 people died.
90% of the buildings were damaged or had to be demolished.
On August 16, 1976, a tsunami hit the Moro Gulf coast in the Philippines with great force, at level 8. It left 5,000 dead and more than 10,000 injured. The coasts of the Mindanao islands suffered an aftershock 12 hours later.
