Tidal Waves Hit Chile...

THE DETROIT NEWS, Detroit, Michigan, dated May 23, 1960.

The front page of this issue includes an article entitled:  "Tidal Waves Lash Cities in Chile, Hawaii", which goes on to describe the events prior and post to the actual tsunami.

This issue is in good condition, although it is very fragile.

Background Information:  The magnitude 9.5 Great Chilean Earthquake of May 22, 1960 is the strongest earthquake ever recorded. Its epicenter, off the coast of South Central Chile, generated one of the most destructive tsunami of the 20th Century. It also caused a volcano eruption.

It spread across the entire Pacific Ocean, with waves measuring up to 25 meters high. The first tsunami arrived at Hilo approximately 14.8 hrs after it originated off the coast of South Central Chile. The highest wave at Hilo Bay was measured at around 10.7 m (35 ft). 61 lives were lost allegedly due to people's failure to heed warning sirens.

Almost 22 hours after the quake, the waves hit the ill-fated Sanriku coast of Japan, reaching up to 3 m above high tide, and killed 142 people. Up to 6,000 people died in total worldwide due to the earthquake and tsunami.