A 30FT TSUNAMI HIT NEWPORT !!

A 30ft tsunami once hit Newport and almost nobody talks about it. On January 20th, 1607, at 9 AM on Tuesday, January the 20th of 1607, witnesses reported seeing a glittering light on the horizon. Seconds later, a 30-foot wall of water surged up the Bristol Channel at 40 miles per hour. The river Usk burst its banks instantly, trapping residents inside their homes as Newport was submerged 12 feet deep. Over 2,000 people drowned across the region, but the devastation went far beyond human loss. Seawater engulfed 200 square miles, wiping out tens of thousands of sheep, cattle, and horses. The saltwater poisoned the agricultural land for years, destroying the region's entire food supply and economy overnight. But over 400 years ago, historians called it a bad storm. Geologists examining the coast found multi-ton limestone boulders tossed far inland, leading scientists to argue this was actually a real, UK-wide tsunami, triggered by an earthquake off Ireland. You can still see brass plaques carved directly into church walls across Gwent, marking the exact 1607 waterline. Did you know Newport had a tsunami in its history? Let me know in the comments. Hit follow for more untold Welsh history and I'll see you in the next one.