2. A tsunami is not just one big wave, but a series of waves called a “wave train.” The time period between waves is called the “wave period” and can be between a few minutes and two hours. The first wave is usually not the strongest, and later waves, such as the fifth or sixth, may be significantly larger.
3. Greek historian Thucydides (460–395 B.C.) in his History of the Peloponnesian War was the first to associate tsunamis with underwater earthquakes.
4. The Indonesia 9.0 earthquake in 2004 released more energy than all the earthquakes on the planet in the last 25 years combined. A segment of seafloor the size of state of California moved upward and seaward by more than 30 feet, displacing huge amounts of water.
5. Approximately 99% of all tsunami-related fatalities have occurred within 160 miles (250 km) of the tsunami’s origin or within 30 minutes of when the tsunami was generated.
6. While no one has witnessed a tsunami caused by a meteorite, many scientists think that a meteorite may have created a tsunami that wiped out life on Earth more than 3.5 billion years ago.
7. Scientists believe that an asteroid struck the Indian Ocean about 4,800 years ago. The tsunami that resulted is theorized to have been approximately 600 feet (180 m) high.
8. One of the largest earthquakes in history occurred over 100 miles off the coast of Chile on May 22, 1960. Just 15 minutes after the 9.5 quake, 80-foot waves struck the coast. Fifteen hours later, tsunami waves struck Hawaii and, finally, 22 hours after the earthquake, the tsunami struck Japan—10,000 miles from where the earthquake took place.
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| Tsunami Waves. |
9. While waves generated by wind may travel anywhere from around 2 to 60 miles (3.2 to 97 km) per hour, tsunami waves can travel at speeds of 600 miles (970 km) per hour, the speed of a jet plane.
10. Palm trees with their long, bare trunks are well adapted to life on the shore and often survive tsunamis intact.
11. A “mega-tsunami” is a tsunami with extremely high waves and is usually caused by a landslide. A mega-tsunami occurred at Lituya Bay, Alaska, in 1958, creating the tallest tsunami ever recorded at 1,700 feet (534 m) high. Miraculously, only two people died
12. If caught by a tsunami wave, it is better not to swim, but rather to grab a floating object and allow the current to carry you.
13. Seiches are like tsunamis, but instead of occurring in seas and oceans, they occur in enclosed bodies of water, such as lakes or inland seas.
14. While tsunamis have been recorded in every ocean on Earth, about 80% of all tsunamis occur in the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”
15. Hours before the Indian Ocean tsunami, people reported seeing elephants and flamingos heading for higher ground. Dogs and zoo animals refused to leave their shelters. After the tsunami, very few dead animals were found.
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| Japan Tsunami Have Caused Large Destruction. |
17. The earthquake that caused the 2011 Japan tsunami is the world’s fifth-largest earthquake since 1900.
18. The 2011 Japan tsunami is estimated to become the world’s most expensive disaster in history.
19. Tsunamis retain their energy, meaning they can travel across entire oceans with limited energy loss.
20. The World Bank estimates that rebuilding the tsunami-affected areas of Japan will cost $232 billion and will take at least five years.
(Source:- Random History )
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