A magnitude 8.2 earthquake caused a tsunami that killed more than 5,200 people on Dec. 30, 1703, according to NOAA data. The event occurred off the southwest Boso Peninsula, which is just south of Tokyo, Japan.

Past strong earthquakes have caused massive and damaging waves far away, but scientists say these tsunami waves were tame by comparison across the Pacific basin.

Tsunami warnings are being downgraded in most areas following one of this century’s most powerful earthquakes in Russia.