Tsunamis can travel up to 600 mph (965 k/ph, 521 knots) at the deepest point of the water, but slow as they near the shore, eventually hitting the shore at 30 to 40 mph (48 to 64 k/ph, 26 to 35 knots). The energy of the wave’s speed is transferred to height and sheer force as it nears shore.
Major or Notable Tsunamis:
November 1, 1755 – An estimated 60,000 people are killed when an earthquake strikes Lisbon, Portugal, and causes a tsunami.
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October 25, 2010 – An estimated 449 people are killed when a magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Indonesia and causes a tsunami.
March 11, 2011 – A magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan causes a major tsunami in Japan. The confirmed death toll is 15,890 as of February 10, 2015.
