The Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960 caused a tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean and struck the then town of Shizugawa. That tsunami was as high as , At that time, the damage was considered extensive. As a result, two-storey-high harbor walls were built by 1963, and residents held tsunami drills each year on the anniversary. The harbor walls were ineffective in the 2011 tsunami, which washed over four-storey buildings.