Memories are more recent – and much more raw – in Japan, where the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake struck with a force of 9.0 off the northeast coast, triggering a tsunami that caused widespread destruction and a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, killing more than 20,000 people.

One of this century’s most powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Russia and generated tsunami warnings and advisories for a broad section of the Pacific as far south as New Zealand

Past strong earthquakes have caused massive and damaging waves far away, but scientists say these tsunami waves were tame by comparison across the Pacific basin.