In late 2004, an undersea megathrust earthquake occurred off the west coast of Indonesia when the Indian Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate, triggering a series of devastating tsunamis along most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean. The earthquake and subsequent tsunamis killed over 230,000 people in 14 countries, plowing through coastal communities with waves up to 100 feet high. With a magnitude of 9.1–9.3, it was the third-largest earthquake ever recorded.
In 2011, another undersea megathrust earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan, producing powerful tsunami waves that reached over 130 feet. With a magnitude of 9.0, the earthquake and tsunami that followed caused 15,891 confirmed deaths, 6,152 injuries, and left 2,584 people missing. It was the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan and the fourth-largest earthquake ever recorded.