English: Tsunami Generated by Earthquake of May 22, 1960, Coast of Chile The Waiakea area of Hilo, Hawaii, 10,000 km from the generating area. Parking meters were bent by the force of the debris-filled waves. Note the scattered debris and the gutted foundation. This tsunami, generated by the earthquake off the coast of central Chile, affected the entire Pacific Basin. One of the most seriously affected areas was Hilo, Hawaii, where 61 deaths and $24 million in damage occurred. In the area of maximum destruction, only buildings of reinforced concrete or structural steel, and a few others sheltered by these buildings, remained standing -- and even these were generally gutted. Frame buildings either were crushed or floated early to the limits of flooding. Photo credit: U.S. Navy