An East Coast tsunami is not impossible

(WWLP) - It is not often that an earthquake is strong enough to generate a tsunami towards the Atlantic coastline, but it is not unheard of.

We remember the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that killed 230,000 people and triggered tsunami warnings along the Pacific coast.

The East Coast has not been immune, either. In 1929, a tsunami surged into Newfoundland, Canada, killing 50 people. Two tsunamis have hit Atlantic City, New Jersey, one right after World War I, and the other after World War II.

Even after this most recent earthquake, people aren't necessarily worried about a major earthquake or tsunami hitting New England.
"We get small tremors here; I have no concern about it," Steve Cimma of Agawam said.

Mike Farris of Southwick agreed. "See it on the TV, it's devastating what's happening out there, but I never really think of it happening here," he said.

The earthquake that struck Japan is one of the top 5 strongest quakes since 1900. The Japan quake was a magnitude 8.9 which hit off the northeast coast.

• The devastating 2004 Tsunami was triggered by a 9.0 quake.
•  In March of 1964, a 9.2 magnitude quake in Prince William Sound, Alaska, killed 131 people.
•  In May of 1960, a 9.5 quake in Southern Chile and a tsunami killed 1,700 people.
•  In November 1952, a 9.0 quake in Kamchatka caused damage, but no deaths. Hawaii did have to deal with 30 foot waves from that quake.