Tsunamis-What are They and What Effect Do They Have on People?












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The 1960 Chilean Tsunami
 
One example of a tsunami was the 1960 Chilean Tsunami.  This tsunami caused widespread death and destruction throughout the Pacific.  It was caused by an earthquake located off the coast of Chile.  Its waves reached Hawaii in just 15 hours and Japan in 22 hours.  The tsunami and the earthquake killed over 2,000 people and caused $550 million dollars worth of property damage.  The number of deaths include 61 people in Hawaii and 122 in Japan.  Hilo, Hawaii received an official warning on May 22, 1960 that the waves would hit Hilo sometime around midnight.  Since the first wave that hit Hilo was only a few feet high arriving shortly after midnight, many people did not heed the warning and remained in their homes.  Those that had left, returned home after the initial wave and thought the danger was over.  However, they were mistaken.  The highest wave of the tsunami hit Hilo at 1:04 A.M.  The wave got bigger and bigger as it moved toward the city and the noise became deafening.  Waves of up to 35 feet hit Hilo and killed 61 people and injured 282 people badly.

Click here to read personal stories of the 1960 Chilean Tsunami

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