Tsunamis are capable of causing a substantial amount of damage. One tsunami can destroy an entire coastal village and remove all the sand from a beach and sand that took hundreds of years to accumulate. Below are examples of the destructive power of tsunamis:
- New Guinea - July 17, 1998
At 6:49 PM on July 17, 1998, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale shook the western Bismark Sea. Almost twenty minutes later, a series of 3 giant tsunami waves crashed on to the shore of New Guinea between Aitape and Serai. Over 2200 Villagers were crushed and drowned while the over 10,000 survivors were left homeless.
- Kalapana, Hawaii - November 29, 1975
On November 29, 1975, an earthquake with an intensity of 7.2 shook the town of Kalapana, Hawaii. Within a few minutes, a 47-foot tall tsunami crushed the town, resulting in property damage of over 4.1 million dollars and claiming the lives of two innocent people.