A look back at local, national and international events through the Deseret News archives.
On Dec. 28, 1908, a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami destroyed the Italian cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria, killing at least 70,000 people.
According to reports, the earthquake registered at 7.1 on the magnitude scale in the Strait of Messina, which separates Sicily from the Italian mainland. It is still considered the deadliest earthquake in European history.
Even in 1908, news of this disaster spread around the world, with the Deseret News and other newspapers reporting on this world event.
Earthquakes followed by tsunamis have always been a challenge for coastal communities. Coming during the holidays only adds to the disaster.
20 years ago, on Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake under the Indian Ocean caused a tsunami with waves up to 100 meters high, killing an estimated 230,000 people.
On March 11, 2011, a powerful tsunami traveling at about 500 kilometers per hour with waves as high as 10 meters swept across the east coast of Japan, killing more than 18,000 people.
Here are some stories from the Deseret News archives about earthquake-tsunami whammies and how people are coping:
“A big tsunami hit 20 years ago. Here’s how the world came together to help victims”
A cemetery in the commercial area of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, about 2 miles inland, remains covered by seawater brought ashore by the Dec. 26, 2004. | Russ Hill, KSL Newsradio 1160
“Child in iconic tsunami photo safe with parents”
“Warning systems often do not help tsunami victims”
“Tsunami-stricken cities forgot the warnings of their ancestors”
“How one Japanese village withstood the tsunami”
“In the Ashes”
“A storyteller works to cheer up Japan’s tsunami victims”
The front page of the Deseret News on Dec. 28, 1908, as the first reports came of an earthquake off the coast of Italy and Sicily.
“A lake can cause a tsunami – it may have happened before”
“Earth is a powerful, violent planet”
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