THE HIGHEST DOCUMENTED WAVE RUN-UP IN HISTORY On 9 July 1958, a powerful earthquake in Alaska triggered a massive rockslide into Lituya Bay. The impact generated an extraordinary landslide-induced tsunami. The water surged up the opposite mountainside to a maximum run-up elevation of 524 metres — the highest documented landslide-generated wave run-up in the world. USGS Publications The event destroyed forest up to approximately 1,720 feet (524 m) above the bay. USGS GBR — WORLD BOOK OF RECORDS FOR ASIA AND AFRICA has included this historic event in the GBR Record Registry as: HIGHEST DOCUMENTED LANDSLIDE GENERATED WAVE RUN UP 524 METRES LITUYA BAY, ALASKA, USA 9 JULY 1958 EVERY RECORD IS A HISTORY