551day.year
A major earthquake strikes Beirut, triggering a devastating tsunami that affects the coastal towns of Byzantine Phoenicia, causing thousands of deaths.
A massive earthquake struck Beirut in 551, triggering a devastating tsunami that ravaged Byzantine Phoenician coastal towns.
On July 9, 551, a powerful earthquake estimated at magnitude 7.2 struck near Beirut, then part of Byzantine Phoenicia. The tremors generated a tsunami that surged onto the coast, demolishing towns and sweeping inhabitants into the sea. Contemporary accounts report thousands of casualties and widespread destruction of ports, villas, and farmland. The disaster disrupted trade routes and weakened the region's economic stability. It highlighted the Levantine coast's vulnerability to seismic events and influenced later urban defenses.
551
major earthquake
Byzantine Phoenicia
869day.year
The 8.4–9.0 Mw Sanriku earthquake strikes the area around Sendai in northern Honshu, Japan. Inundation from the tsunami extended several kilometers inland.
The 869 Sanriku earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated the Sendai region in northern Honshu, inundating coastal plains.
On July 9, 869, a massive earthquake estimated between magnitude 8.4 and 9.0 struck off the northeastern coast of Honshu. The resulting tsunami raced inland for several kilometers, destroying villages and farmland around Sendai. Historical records describe houses flattened and ships carried far inland by the mighty waves. The disaster claimed countless lives and disrupted early Heian-period coastal communities. Modern geological research has confirmed the scale of this ancient tsunami and informs current risk assessments in Japan.
869
Sanriku earthquake
Sendai
Honshu
1918day.year
In Nashville, Tennessee, an inbound local train collides with an outbound express, killing 101 and injuring 171 people, making it the deadliest rail accident in United States history.
A horrific train collision in Nashville kills 101 and injures 171, becoming the deadliest rail accident in U.S. history.
On July 9, 1918, during heavy fog in Nashville, Tennessee, a local inbound passenger train collided head-on with an outbound express train. The impact wrecked several carriages and ruptured the express train’s boiler tanks, sparking fires that trapped passengers inside. In the ensuing disaster, 101 people were killed and 171 injured, making it the deadliest rail accident in U.S. history. Local residents, rescue workers, and medical personnel faced immense challenges due to the wreck’s severity and limited emergency infrastructure. The tragedy led to a thorough investigation of railroad safety practices and prompted improvements in signaling systems and train dispatch protocols. It highlighted the need for stricter regulations and technological advances to prevent similar accidents. Decades later, the Nashville crash remains a somber reminder of the human cost of early twentieth-century railway travel.
1918
Nashville, Tennessee
collides with an outbound express
1956day.year
The 7.7 Mw Amorgos earthquake shakes the Cyclades island group in the Aegean Sea with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The shaking and the destructive tsunami that followed left fifty-three people dead. A damaging M7.2 aftershock occurred minutes after the mainshock.
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake in 1956 struck the Cyclades islands, followed by a tsunami that claimed 53 lives and devastated coastal communities.
On July 9, 1956, a powerful 7.7 Mw earthquake struck near the island of Amorgos in the Aegean Sea.
The tremor reached a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), toppling buildings across multiple islands.
Seconds later, a destructive tsunami struck the shores, sweeping away homes and boats.
The dual catastrophe killed fifty-three people and left many survivors injured and homeless.
A strong M7.2 aftershock shortly after the mainshock compounded the region's destruction.
The disaster spurred improvements in Greek seismic monitoring and emergency response protocols.
1956
Amorgos earthquake
Cyclades
Aegean Sea
Mercalli intensity
1958day.year
A 7.8 Mw strike-slip earthquake in Alaska causes a landslide that produces a megatsunami. The runup from the waves reached 525 m (1,722 ft) on the rim of Lituya Bay; five people were killed.
In 1958, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake triggered a massive landslide in Alaska's Lituya Bay, generating a record-breaking 525-meter megatsunami that killed five people.
On July 9, 1958, a 7.8 Mw strike-slip earthquake shook the Fairweather Fault near Lituya Bay, Alaska.
The seismic event caused a massive rockslide of over 30 million cubic meters into the narrow bay.
The sudden displacement created a towering megatsunami with a runup height of 525 meters on the opposite shore.
Three fishing boats moored in the bay suffered direct hits, resulting in the deaths of five individuals.
This megatsunami remains the tallest wave ever recorded by modern instruments.
The Lituya Bay event has become a landmark case in understanding landslide-generated tsunamis and geological hazards.
1958
earthquake in Alaska
landslide
megatsunami
Lituya Bay
1982day.year
Pan Am Flight 759 crashes in Kenner, Louisiana, killing all 145 people on board and eight others on the ground.
Pan Am Flight 759 crashes in Kenner, Louisiana in 1982, resulting in 153 fatalities.
On July 9, 1982, Pan American World Airways Flight 759 attempted to take off from New Orleans International Airport during a severe thunderstorm. The Boeing 727 encountered sudden wind shear shortly after liftoff and lost lift. It plummeted into a residential neighborhood in Kenner, Louisiana, killing all 145 passengers and crew aboard and eight people on the ground. Investigators pointed to microburst-induced wind shear and insufficient pilot training for such conditions. The tragedy prompted major improvements in wind shear detection technology and pilot awareness programs worldwide.
1982
Pan Am Flight 759
Kenner, Louisiana
1997day.year
An explosion aboard a Brazilian airline TAM Fokker 100 launches engineer Fernando Caldeira de Moura Campos into a 2,400 meters free fall.
A TAM Fokker 100 explosion in 1997 sends engineer Campos into a 2,400-meter free fall.
On July 9, 1997, an in-flight explosion tore open the fuselage of a TAM Fokker 100 aircraft flying over Brazil, causing sudden depressurization. The blast blew engineer Fernando Caldeira de Moura Campos through an opening in the cabin, sending him plummeting more than 2,400 meters before he landed in dense forest. Despite surviving the fall momentarily, rescue teams were unable to reach him in time. The aircraft landed safely but the incident prompted a thorough review of maintenance procedures and emergency protocols. Brazilian aviation authorities implemented stricter safety inspections to prevent similar disasters.
1997
TAM
Fokker 100
Fernando Caldeira de Moura Campos
2006day.year
One hundred and twenty-five people are killed when S7 Airlines Flight 778, an Airbus A310 passenger jet, veers off the runway while landing in wet conditions at Irkutsk Airport in Siberia.
S7 Airlines Flight 778 veers off the runway at Irkutsk Airport in wet weather, killing 125 of the 203 aboard.
On July 9, 2006, S7 Airlines Flight 778, an Airbus A310 passenger jet, veered off the runway while landing at Irkutsk Airport in Siberia during heavy rain. The aircraft overran the runway, broke apart, and caught fire, resulting in 125 fatalities among the passengers and crew. Investigations pointed to a combination of pilot error, miscommunication, and inadequate speed control in wet conditions as contributing factors. Rescue operations were hampered by fire and poor visibility, complicating evacuation efforts. The disaster prompted Russian aviation authorities to review safety procedures and enhance pilot training for adverse weather conditions. Families and communities were left mourning, and airline operators worldwide reassessed wet-runway protocols.
2006
S7 Airlines Flight 778
Airbus A310
Irkutsk Airport
Siberia