The 2021 Lake Michigan Tsunami was a devastating Tsunami Event that occurred in the Early Hours of April Twenty Sixth, triggered by a 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake, which triggered an Undersea Landslide. The destruction from this disaster was exacerbated by the fact that the Earthquake struck at 6:32 AM, and it wasn't strong enough on land to wake people up. The Tsunami first struck land at 6:36 AM, with a height of 21 Meters (68 Feet), and the Tsunami's peak was 43 Meters (141 Feet) in Northport, Michigan as it struck at 6:57 AM. The Tsunami inundated the shores of Lake Michigan up to 6.1km inland (3.79 miles) in certain points. The Tsunami ripped homes from their foundations, drowning people in their sleeps and sweeping their homes miles inland, before dragging them back out to sea. Entire villages were washed away, leaving just bare slabs behind. The Tsunami would go onto affect the Coasts of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, causing massive damage to communities. States Of Emergency were declared in 45 Counties in Michigan (30), Wisconsin (11), Illinois (2), and Indiana (2).
Preludes to Disaster[]
Up to 2 Months Prior to the Disaster, Small Foreshock were already shaking the Lake Michigan Area, but only getting up to 2.4 on the Richter Scale. 1 week before the Quake and Tsunami, a Foreshock of 5.6 rattled an area near to Traverse Bay. This Foreshock is what is thought to have loosened the bed of earth enough for it to become an undersea landslide on the 26th of May. Seismologists were concerned, as an earthquake of this magnitude hadn't occurred in this area in recorded history. They warned of an impending earthquake, but could have never predicted what would come next.
The Earthquake and Landslide[]
At exactly 6:32:06 AM, on the Twenty-Sixth of April, an Earthquake with a depth of 3km deep (1.8 miles), with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter Scale. The lake-floor shifted downward by 4 feet, moving 6 feet to the West. All around the Lake Michigan Coast, the ground shook slightly, knocking books off their shelves, shifting cars and doing minor damage to buildings. It went unnoticed by most, as they were sleeping. At sometime around 6:32:17 to 6:33:46, an undersea shelf collapsed shifting massive amounts of sand and dirt, sending it tumbling downward, depositing at low points of Lake Michigan. This landslide drew the water downward, then releasing it, causing a tsunami wave (only 0.5 meters at the time).
Tsunami[]
The tsunami traveled at incredible speeds of 200 miles an hour, speeding towards the Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana Coasts. By the time they were over, 21,567 people would be dead, and communities would be forever changed.
The Fox Islands (North and South)[]
The Northern and Southern Fox Islands were the first to be affected, the Tsunami struck Northern Island at 6:36:45 AM, sweeping away trees, with a height of 7 meters (22 feet), but not doing any substantial damage, as North Fox Island is uninhabited. The Tsunami struck the Southern Island at 6:37:01 AM, with a height of 13 meters (42 feet), sweeping away trees, washing away the runway that sits upon South Fox Island. No people were killed on the Islands.
Beaver Island[]
The Tsunami struck the Southern side of Beaver Island at 6:38:33 AM, sweeping away the few houses on the South Side, killing 34 people. The Tsunami continued up the side of the Island, eventually entering the harbor where the small, unincorporated town of St. James sits. The Tsunami, with a height of 23 meters (75 feet) slammed into the town. Unprepared for the Tsunami, the Beaver Island Ferry was lifted from the docks and hurled into houses, the 23 meter tsunami smashed into 3 story houses, reducing them to splinters, floating them off their foundations, smashing them against one another. The height of Beaver Island was an extreme Hindrance to survival, as the Tsunami simply washed over the houses, instantly killing inhabitants. 98% of Houses in St. James were destroyed, the rest suffering at least moderate damage. 134 people in St. James were killed (65% of St. James Population - 2010 Census) Elsewhere on Beaver Island, 89 people were killed, amounting up to 257 people killed on Beaver Island.
Charlevoix County[]
The Third location to be affected by the Tsunami, Charlevoix County was just waking up when the Tsunami, which roared in with heights of 29 meters (95 feet) at 6:45:05 AM. The Tsunami washed over the city, sweeping away buildings and boats. The tsunami tossed boats inland, smashing them into houses and killing inhabitants. Charlevoix is located between two lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix. This meant that as the Tsunami traveled inland, it would sweep into Lake Charlevoix. The tsunami, still carrying boats as it traveled down the lake, it regained strength, growing to a height of 28 meters (91 feet). The Tsunami swept into the small town of Ironton, absolutely destroying the town, 78 inhabitants were killed.
At this point, the Tsunami split into two different branches, one traveling down the South Am, and one continuing down Lake Charlevoix.
As the first branch continued down Lake Charlevoix, people were waking up in Boyne City (the city at the end of Lake Charlevoix), and survivors recount seeing a wave surging forward, water mixing with white boats and buildings. 30 seconds before hitting Boyne City, the Tsunami hit the town of Advance, obliterating it, and sweeping houses forward, adding to the frenzy. When the Tsunami surged into Boyne City, it was at a height of 28 meters, hitting even the highest points of Condos. The only survivors were the ones in the highest floors of their apartment buildings. The force of the Tsunami was great enough that it pushed an 5 story apartment building forward inland.
As this was going on in Boyne City, in the South Am, the Tsunami was surging into East Jordan with a height of 14 Meters (45 feet), the tsunami severely damaged the town, killing 45 people. A total of 1,445 people were killed in Charlevoix County.
Leelanau Peninsula/Grand Traverse Bay[]
Cathead Bay was struck by the Tsunami at 6:45:46 AM, the Tsunami had a height of 35 Meters (114 Feet), from a distance, the few survivors recount seeing a cresting wave pushing into the bay. There are reports of survivors seeing Pine Trees carried on the wave, presumably carried from the Fox Islands and Beaver Island. The Tsunami slammed into the Houses in Cathead Bay, carrying them inland, smashing them against each other. A Car burst into flames, and a fire ensued, spreading from house to house as they floated on the tsunami. At the Leelanau State Park Lighthouse, waves crested at 91 feet, sweeping the historical landmark away, and killing the 3 tourists that were there at that hour.
The Town of Leland was struck by the Tsunami at 6:51:06 AM, surging into the town with a height of 17 meters (55 feet), compared to the peak of the wave, this may seem small, but it was tall enough to destroy the low-lying town of Leland. The historical district of Fishtown was completely swept away, the wooden buildings crumpling to the wave. The rest of the town was just as unfortunate, succumbing to the wave.
As Cathead Bay was being hit, the Eastern Portion of the Wave was curling into the Grand Traverse Bay. Heading into the Bay, it began to gain height, getting up to 32 Meters (104 Feet). 4.6 miles into the bay, the Tsunami bent into Northport Bay at 6:56:31, a smaller Bay within the Grand Traverse. The Tsunami rapidly gained height, spurred by the narrow Bay walls and shallow depth, growing up to 43 Meters (141 Feet), up to it's peak. The tsunami swept into the town, reducing houses to splinters, before picking up what was left of them, pushing the houses inland. Every house in Northport was wiped out, killing 451 people, which is 98% of the town's population.
The town of Omena was partially shielded from the wave, but a swell of 3 meters was recorded, breaking into the town, damaging buildings, and killing 1 person. The next town down the bay: Peshwabestown, would not be so lucky. The Tsunami swept into the town with a height of 27 meters (90 feet), killing 67 people, and destroying 87% of buildings in the town.
The Tsunami raced into Suttons Bay, towards the town, Suttons Bay. The Tsunami began to gain height, growing up to a height of 42 meters (140 feet). The Tsunami slammed into the town, lifting up boats from the marina, and smashing old buildings about, into one another. The town was obliterated, along with 2,456 people killed.
The Tsunami barreled down the West Arm of the Grand Traverse Bay, slamming into Marion Island, washing over it with a height of 24 meters (80 feet), taking trees with it. At 6:59:57 AM, the Tsunami whipped into Traverse City with a height of 39 meters (129 feet). It devoured the lakefront, destroying the Marina instantly, along with 78% of the buildings. The Tsunami's power, spurred by it's time traveling down the bay, flooded 6.1km inland. The wave was 13 meters (43 feet) when it hit Cherry Capital Airport. It pushed planes down the Apron, smashing them into each other, and killing passengers inside the waiting planes on morning flights. The Tsunami destroyed 69% of the buildings in Traverse City, and damaging a further 19% of Buildings. A total of 9,457 were killed in Traverse City.