The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami is considered one of the deadliest tsunamis in recorded history. It was caused by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, and affected 14 countries in the region, including Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka. The tsunami killed more than 230,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damage.
Other tsunamis that have caused significant loss of life include:
- The 2011 Tohoku Tsunami: This tsunami, which was caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan, killed more than 18,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damage.
- The 1960 Chile Tsunami: This tsunami, which was caused by a magnitude 9.5 earthquake, killed more than 2,000 people and affected coastlines in Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and other countries.
- The 1946 Aleutian Islands Tsunami: This tsunami, which was caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands, killed 159 people in Hawaii and caused widespread damage to coastal communities in Alaska and British Columbia, Canada.
- The 1755 Lisbon Tsunami: This tsunami, which was caused by a magnitude 8.7-9.0 earthquake in the Atlantic Ocean, affected the coasts of Portugal, Morocco, and Spain and killed more than 60,000 people.
