Tsunamis in Sri Lanka
In a total of 4 tidal waves classified as a tsunami since 1883 a total of 35,333 people died in Sri Lanka. Tsunamis therefore occur only rarely here.The strongest tidal wave registered in Sri Lanka so far reached a height of 12.50 meters. At this Tsunami on 12/26/2004 a total of 35,322 people have been killed.
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Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes or other seismic eruptions on ground of an oceans and can cause massive tidal waves, which run with enormous force on land, causing great devastation. Especially in regions with only few tsunamis, the damage is often drastic, as the population does not expect tsunamis and thus hardly takes any protective measures. Even relatively small flood waves can lead to high losses and financial damage.
The marked positions on the map represent the most effected regions within the past 140 years.
The largest tsunamis in Sri Lanka since 1883
| Date | Cause | max. tidal | Fatalities | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/28/2005 | Earthquake in Indonesia (Indonesia) with a magnitude of 8.6. | 0.21 m | 10 | |
| 12/26/2004 | Earthquake in Indonesia (Off W. Coast Of Sumatra) with a magnitude of 9.1. The tsunami caused damages in 20 further countries. A total of 227,899 humans died. | 12.50 m | 35,322 | |
| 01/04/1907 | Earthquake in Indonesia (Nw. Sumatra) with a magnitude of 7.6. The tsunami also reached Indonesia, Reunion. A total of 400 humans died. | 2.1 m | 0 | |
| 08/27/1883 | Volcano in Indonesia (Krakatau) The tsunami also reached Australia, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, Reunion. A total of 34,417 humans died. | 3.6 m | 1 |
These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Global Historical Tsunami Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Several data have been summarized and translated.
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