The December 26, 2004 magnitude 9.1 Sumatra, Indonesia earthquake (3.316 N, 95.854 E, depth 30 km) generated a tsunami that was observed worldwide and caused tremendous devastation and deaths throughout the Indian Ocean region. The earthquake, which is the third largest in the world since 1900, caused severe damage and casualties in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, and in the Nicobar Islands, India. The tsunami that followed killed more people than any other tsunami in recorded history, with 227,898 dead or missing. The total estimated material losses in the Indian Ocean region were $10 billion and insured losses were $2 billion.

On December 12, 1992, a magnitude 7.5 Ms (USGS) earthquake at 05:29 UT occurred in the Flores, Indonesia, region producing a tsunami that reached shore in five minutes. The source was a thrust fault dipping 32 degrees to the south and extending about 110 kilometers from Cape Batumanuk to Cape Bunga. The earthquake and tsunami caused at least 2,080 fatalities or missing people, including 1,490 in Maurnere, Flores, and 700 on Babi Island.

On July 12, 1993, a magnitude 7.6 Ms (7.7 Mw) (HRV) earthquake at 13:17 UT in the Sea of Japan near Hokkaido caused a back-arc tsunami that caused damage in all of the countries bordering the Sea of Japan. The earthquake had a rupture length of 150 kilometers, a movement of 2.5 meters and a dip to the east of 24 degrees. The tsunami was 32 meters high on Okishuri, Island, where the most destruction occurred. The whole island subsided by 5-80 centimeters.

The tsunami generated by a magnitude 7.9 (Mw) earthquake destroyed 700 boats and 59 houses for a total of $800 million in property damage in Japan (1983 dollars). One hundred and four people drowned in Japan and three drowned in Korea.

The March 11 earthquake generated a devastating tsunami that was observed all over the Pacific and caused tremendous devastation locally, including an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

At least 2,183 people killed, thousands injured, about 9,500 homeless and about 500 missing as a result of a tsunami generated in the Sissano area. Maximum wave heights estimated at 15 meters. Several villages were completely destroyed and others extensively damaged. Maximum recorded wave heights from selected tide stations (peak-to-trough, in cm) were as follows: 40 on Miyake-jima; 30 at Tosa-Shimuzu, Shikoku; 26 at Muroto, Shikoku; 24 at Naze, Amami O-shima; 20 on Tanega-shima; 20 at Kushimoto, Honshu; 6 at Jackson Bay and 4.7 at Kaikoura, New Zealand; 5 on Yap. Felt along much of the northern Papua New Guinea coast.

At least 149 people killed in Samoa, 34 killed in American Samoa and 9 killed, 7 injured and 500 displaced on Niuatoputapu, Tonga. Widespread damage to infrastructure occurred at Pago Pago, American Samoa, in many parts of Samoa and on Niuatoputapu, Tonga. Nearly all of the casualties and damage was caused by large tsunamis, with run up heights of 12 meters at Poloa, 7 meters at Pago Pago and Tula, American Samoa and 3 meters on Niuatoputapu. Felt in much of American Samoa, Samoa and northern Tonga and as far away as Wallis and Futuna Islands.

At least 116 people killed, more than 68 missing and over 13,500 left homeless in Nicaragua. At least 1,300 houses and 185 fishing boats were destroyed along the west coast of Nicaragua.

Two earthquakes occurred in the morning on Hawaii Island. The first earthquake (3 hours 36 minutes local time, 5.1 Ms, epicenter near the Kilauea crater) awakened the entire population of the island. The second earthquake (4 hours 48 minutes local time, 7.2 Ms, off the southeast coast) caused damage (IX) at Hilo and damage (VIII) at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. In many places houses were severely damaged, roads were breached and became unusable due to landslides; electric power lines were broken. Maximum subsidence 3.5 meters along the southeast coast. Maximum width of ground cracks 1 meter in the park. There was a brief eruption of the Kilauea Volcano. The second earthquake generated a locally damaging submarine landslide tsunami that was recorded at tide gauge stations in Alaska, California, Galapagos Islands, Peru, and Chile.

A magnitude 8.1 earthquake occurred in the southern Kurils and on northern Hokkaido on Tuesday, October 5, 1994, (October 4 at 13:23 GMT). It was a sudden event, without any short- term precursors or foreshocks. The earthquake epicenter was located 80 km east southeast of Shikotan Island. At Kuzhno-Kurilsk, Kunsashir Island, tsunami heights ranged from 2.5-3.0 m. In the older part of town (fronted by a gentle beach) all houses were damaged by the wave that penetrated 200-500 m inland.