In December 2004, a photo of the largest wave in the world circled all the editions of the world. On December 26, an earthquake occurred in Asia, the result of which was a tsunami wave, which destroyed more than 235 thousand people.
The media published photos of the destruction, assuring readers and viewers that there has never been such a big wave in the world. But the journalists were cunning … Indeed, by its destructive power, the 2004 tsunami is one of the most deadly. But the magnitude (height) of this wave is rather modest: it did not exceed much 15 meters. History knows higher waves, which can be said: "Yes, this is the biggest wave in the world!"
Record waves
- In 1792, Japan experienced another nightmare. The 6.4 magnitude quake triggered the collapse of most of Mount Unzen. The rock that fell into the sea and the earthquake led to the formation of a wave 100 meters high. She completely wiped out the village, located next to the mountain.
- On May 18, 1980, the largest wave in the world (as it seemed then) swept through Spirit Lake. Tons of red-hot lava fell into it, which, due to an earthquake, fell into the lake from a collapsed volcano. There was an explosion. Its power can be compared with the explosion of 20 million tons of TNT. The wave that formed as a result of the explosion reached 250 meters. It seemed to people that the wall of the water approaching at a furious speed goes beyond the clouds. But this, as it turned out later, is not the biggest wave in the world.
- To date, the wave that destroyed Lituja Bay in Alaska remains the record holder. She also arose as a result of an earthquake (8 points). It provoked a giant landslide: 300 million cubic meters of frozen soil, rock, huge pieces of ice crashed into a lake sandwiched among the rocks from a kilometer high. And then the largest wave in the world formed: its height was 524 meters, and its speed was 160 kilometers. She leveled the La Gaussi spit, pulled out all the trees on the way, destroyed several fishing vessels.
Where are the biggest waves
Scientists are sure that the highest waves do not cause earthquakes (because of them tsunamis form more often), but landslides. That's why high waves are most often:
- In the Hawaiian Islands. Seismologists and oceanologists fear that a wave may arise here exceeding a height of 1 km. Will it be the highest wave in the world? It’s not clear yet.
- In Canada. If Mount Breckenridge collapses in the sea, then the resulting wave can wash away several coastal towns at once.
- In the Canaries. The volcanic chain of Cumbre Vieja during an earthquake may crash into the sea. Boiling lava, as it was on Spirit Lake, will fall into the water when it hits the water. A wave will go west, whose height will be much more than a kilometer in height.
- The same wave can form on the Cape Verde Islands.
