The biggest wave in the world: still ahead

In December 2004, the world's largest wave of photos flew around the world. On December 26, an earthquake occurred in Asia, which resulted in a tsunami wave that killed more than 235,000 people. The media published a photo of the destruction, assuring readers and viewers that there was never such a big wave in the world. But journalists were cunning ... Indeed, in its destructive power of the 2004 tsunami is one of the most deadly. But here the magnitude (height) of this wave is rather modest: it did not significantly exceed 15 meters. The stories are known for higher waves, which can be said: "Yes, this is the biggest wave in the world!"

Waves-record holders

• In 1792, Japan experienced another nightmare. An earthquake of 6.4 points provoked the collapse of most of the Unzen mountain. The breed that fell into the sea, and the earthquake led to the formation of a wave 100 meters high. She completely wiped out the village near the mountain.
• May 18, 1980, the largest wave in the world (as it seemed then) swept the Lake Spirit Lake. It was hit by tons of red-hot lava, which, due to an earthquake, hit the lake from a collapsed volcano. There was an explosion. Its capacity 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 approaching water at a frenzied speed was leaving behind clouds. But this, as it turned out later, is not the biggest wave in the world.
• To date, the record holder remains the wave that destroyed the Gulf of Lituy in Alaska. It 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 collapsed from a kilometer height to a lake clamped among rocks. That's when the biggest wave in the world was formed: its height was 524 meters, and speed - 160 kilometers. She razed La Gaussi's braid to the ground, tore all the trees that were on the way, destroyed several fishing boats.

Where are the biggest waves

Scientists are sure that the highest waves are caused not by earthquakes (because of them tsunamis are more often formed), but by landslides. That is why high waves are most often:

• In the Hawaiian Islands. Seismologists and oceanographers fear that a wave can occur here, exceeding 1 km in height. Will this be the highest wave in the world? While it is not clear.
• In Canada. If the Breckenridge Mountain crashes into the sea, the formed wave can wash away several coastal towns.
• In the Canaries. The volcanic chain of Cumbre Vieja during the earthquake can collapse into the sea. Boiling lava, as it was on Spirit Lake, hitting the water, will explode. To the west will leave a wave, the height of which will be much more than a kilometer in height.
• The same wave can be formed on the Cape Verde Islands.

... And other killer waves

Not only are giant waves dangerous. There is a more terrible variety: single waves-killers. They are taken from nowhere, their height rarely exceeds 15 meters. But the pressure they exert on all the objects encountered exceeds 100 tons per centimeter (ordinary waves are "crushed" with a force of only 12 tons). These waves are practically not studied. It is only known that it crushes oil towers and ships like a sheet of plain paper.