Which tsunami was worse? This week's or the one in 2004?

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami had an estimated death toll of 230,210. (And the 2010 Haiti earthquake caused the loss of 316,000+ lives.)

The death toll seems to be significantly lower in this case, but as well as the tragic loss of life, I think the current tsunami will have a huge financial impact.

How can they not find three trainloads of passengers in Japan?

The stretch of fault that ruptured off the coast of Sumatra was over 900 miles long, which is why the 2004 tsunami was so much more devastating thousands of miles away.

@john65pennington If the trains were near the coast they could have been swept to sea.

I think that @john65pennington makes a good point, though. The latest reports that I’ve heard claimed that the death toll “could reach 1000.” However, at the same time you hear that there are 10,000 missing people in Miyagi prefecture, and trainloads of missing persons, so many unaccounted for, yet. We don’t know the actual figures from this disaster, just yet, as far as loss of human life. Assuming they will not reach the numbers that the 2004 catastrophe did, but the actual number of fatalities is still unknown.
I think the impact from this tsunami will be most devastating to the economy.

We don’t know yet.

Considering that a nuclear disaster was declared, it’s hard to call.

I agree with @syz, @mattbrowne & @incendiary_dan. For one thing, this one will not only drastically effect Japan, but it’s effects on them is going to be noticed throughout the entire world. Also, like the jellies above, it’s still to be determined.

Thank you all. I haven’t really been following the news as much as I should have so I’m really not up to date on what has happened.

That depends on your metric. In terms of human lives lost or irreparably disrupted, the 2004 tsunami wins, hands down. But I’d wager that there is going to be a lot more economic turmoil with this one. It also has a wider variety of disaster; the ‘04 was mostly limited to the tsunami and subsequent disease and famine, but Japan is facing radiation poisoning.

I’d say that, overall, the ‘04 was worse.