Natural and Man-Made Disasters | Has A Tidal Wave Ever Hit The United States?
Has a tidal wave ever hit the United States?
In 1964 the largest tidal wave ever to hit the United States came ashore in the southwestern portion of Alaska. The Great Alaskan Earthquake (measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale) caused a tidal wave 220 feet (67 meters) high. Tidal waves occasionally hit Hawaii as well. The largest tidal wave to hit Hawaii occurred on April 1, 1946 (before Hawaii became part of the United States in 1959), claiming the lives of 150 people. This wave was so severe that all of the water from the 3-mile (5-kilometer) harbor at the northern town of Hilo drained out and then rushed back ashore. People who understood what was happening warned others to flee, but because it was April Fool's Day, some people ignored the warnings. (April Fool's Day traditionally is a time for playing practical jokes.) Since then a global monitoring system has been established to warn about possible tidal waves....
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