User:History and disasters

c.1628 BCE Aegean Sea Tsunami

The Thera Volcano blew itself and much of the island into pieces, leaving a massive crater. This was filled with water and caused a 492 ft.(150m)-high tsunami moving at 100mph (160 km/h). The island of Crete was only 70 mi.(110 km)away to the south. The Minoan civilization on Crete was one of the most sophisticated of its time. it had palaces, large ports, and was important part of Greek politics. When the tsunami hit, it smashed through the ports of Crete's northern coast, destroying the shipping fleet and damaging palaces. Inland, a cloud of ash pumice (light volcanic rock) chocked the crops.

Volcanic Devastation The Minoan civilization began to decline around this time, and archaeologists believe that this was because of the devastating effects of Thera Volcano.