THE 
National Geographic Magazine 
VoL. VII SEPTEMBER, 1896 No. 9 
THE RECENT EARTHQUAKE WAVE ON THE COAST 
OF JAPAN 
By Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore 
On the evening of June 15, 1896, the northeast coast of Hondo, 
the main island of Japan, was struck by a great earthquake ivave 
{tsunami), wliich was more destructive of life and property than 
any earthquake convulsion of this century in that empire. The 
whole coastline of the San-Riku, the three provinces of Rikuzen, 
Rikuchu, and Rikuoku, from the island of Kinkwazan, 38° 20' 
north, northward for 175 miles, was laid waste by a great wave 
moving from the east and south, that varied in recorded height 
from 10 to 50 feet. A few survivors, who saw it advancing in the 
darkness, report its height as 80 to 100 feet. With a difference 
of but thirty minutes in time between the southern and northern 
points, it struck the San-Riku coast and in a trice obliterated 
towns and villages, killed 26,975 people out of the original popu- 
lation, and grievously wounded the 5,390 survivors. It washed 
away and wreckefl 9,313 houses, stranded some 300 lai’ger craft — 
steamers, schooners, and junks — ami crushed or carried away 
10,000 fishing boats, destroying property to the value of six mil- 
lion yen. Thousands of acres of arable land were turned to 
wastes, projecting rocks offshore were broken, overturned, or 
moved hundreds of }airds, shallows and bars were formed, and in 
some localities the entire shoreline was changed. 
They were all seafaring communities along this coast strip 
and the fisheries were the chief industry. J'he shipment of sea 
j)roducts to the great ports was the main connection with the 
outer world. A high mountain range bars communication with 
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