This week in weather and science history

Here is a brief look at a few of the events that happened this week in history. This week we take a look at big natural disasters hitting Asia, a new holiday tradition and an endurance record.

On this day in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase is completed with a flag raising ceremony in New Orleans. France sells the Louisiana Territory, which included the entire Mississippi River Valley and the central Plains to the Rockies for $15 million. It would nearly double the size of the United States landmass.

On this day in 1937, a new holiday tradition of holiday animated features began with the premiere of the Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Los Angeles. It was Walt Disney Pictures and the world’s first full-length animated feature film. It would gross $8 million during its first run against a budget of $1.5 million.

On this day in 2018, a tsunami caused by eruptions and subsequent collapse of the Ana Krakatau volcano struck about 200 miles of Indonesian coast. The tsunami, which reach a height of 44 feet in at least one place, happened at night and killed at least 430 people.

On December 23, 1986, Voyager, after being piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, landed at California’s Edwards Air Force Base. It was the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without refueling. It took nine days to complete the trip at an average of 106 mph.

On this day in 1777, the Pacific atoll Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook. The island is the biggest atoll in the world by land area and is now part of the Republic of Kiribati.

Christmas was not peaceful in the Philippines in 2019. Typhoon Phanfone (known as Ursula in the Philippines) struck the island nation. About 50 deaths were reported, with several dozen more missing and presumed dead. Destruction was estimated to be more than $50 million in total.

Phanfone was not the first Christmas typhoon to hit the Philippines. Nock-ten hit the Philippines in 2016.

On this day in 2004, a 9.1-9.3 magnitude earthquake shook the northern part of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, triggering one of the biggest observed tsunamis in human history. This tsunami spread across the Indian Ocean, devastating the coasts of Thailand, Indian, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. The official death toll is estimated at 227,898.