Another Tsunami? Pictures, videos, facts, maps, tables
Futurist Topics - Future Trends
No one will ever know how many died in the 2004 Tsunami because so many of the towns and villages affected were in remote areas with few records of population. It is possible that more than 200,000 were drowned or buried in mud in just a few minutes. The worst affected areas were close to the earthquake epicentre, but the wave caused destruction as far away as India and Africa (East Coast).
Could Tsunami deaths have been prevented?
Many scientists had been warning of the risks of a severe Tsunami in the region, and continue to warn of future Tsunami risks. The 2004 Tsunami was caused by a major shift in part of a well-known fault line. The result was an increased pressure on other parts of the fault, making further earthquakes more likely.
We never know when a major earthqake will happen. Tsunami waves travel very fast, and it is impossible to provide warnings for those very close to the earthquake zone which generates the wave. However, it is certainly possible to provide other coastal areas further away with adequate time for many people to get out of danger by moving to higher ground.
Tsunami warning systems are now in place across the region most affected in December 2004 and were used during a recent tremor (April 2005). If they had been working earlier, it is possible that many tens of thousands of lives would have been saved.
What is a tsunami?
How are Tsunamis formed? Tsunamis are caused by sudden movement of the sea bed, during an earthquake or volcano. The result is a ripple of waves, just as if you dropped a large stone into a pool. Tsunami waves can travel at over 400 miles an hour through deep ocean, but don't usually cause any trouble at that stage to ships or boats. That's because the water is deep and the waves are long. Ships and boats just rise and fall gently - and may have no idea that a Tsunami wave has just passed beneath them.
However as the wave approaches land, the water becomes more shallow and all the wave energy is concentrated into a very small area. The Tsunami wave slows down and increases in height. It is unusual for the wave to break: more commonly it just looks like a massive tide of water sweeping into the shore. Tsunamis are often called tidal waves, and pictures often show tsunami waves over 30 metres high breaking over the coastline, although the reality is more that the water level rises rapidly, and later falls just as fast.
In the 2004 Tsunami, much of the damage was done by seawater returning to the ocean, and also by a second wave a few minutes after the first.
Tsunami wave facts - speed and depth
Here is some useful data showing how the speed of a Tsunami wave falls as it approaches land, and how the height rises. You can see the graph more clearly, and print it out, by right-clicking on the image and saving it first.
How often do Tsunami waves happen?
Tsunamis happen far more often than most people realise. Hawai sees a small tsunami every year and Alaska, Californai, Oregan, Washington, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philipines, India and other parts of the world can all expect to experience larger or smaller tsunamis in the future.
Tsunami earthquakes are those where there is a major shift of the seabed as two tectonic plates slide against each other, releasing forces many times as great as an undersea nuclear bomb.
Satellite images of 2004 Tsunami
Tsunami videos
Tsunami videos can be very upsetting to watch if they show the reality of what happens when a mega Tsunami hits land, buildings and people. It is shameful that some people see such things as entertainment. It is impossible to understand the full power of these waves unless you have seen one.
Many Tsunami videoclips from TV news reports and individuals - destruction in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, rescue efforts and humanitarian help
Tsunami video - dramatic film clip taken by a holiday maker as a huge Tsunami wave sweeps up the beach and into the restaurant of the hotel, showing footage of Tsunami damage, tsunami wave pictures of tsunami victims and scale of tsunami disaster. Sad to see the video is listed in an entertainment area - warning: may be unpsetting to younger children.
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This is horrible, for this country, can some one tell me how they got the camera when the scene accure, u wish i can view this to confirm true, beside , i dont think any one should remaning in this country.i m sorry for ppl in this contry.
Wow brooke that must be really hard for you i lot my dad but not in a tsuanmi. I am really sorry for you and Patrick why wouldyou be asking what country and where you would live?Just curious but wouldn't that be a little to much info? Anyways i am glad i don't live in any of the areas for a tsmi!
Sincerly, 12 year old kat.
Thanks for your comments - I read every one with interest. The longer the comments, the more likely they are to be read by some of the 12 million different people who have used this site to find out more about their future. You will also find more resources on www.youtube.com - 2 million video views on future issues. Patrick Dixon - site author and Futurist.
i think that the tsunami has touched so many lives, i am so sorry for the families that have lost someone. i can't even think of the pain that you are feeling and i can't even begin to imagine the though of going there because i went there and i lost my nan annd grandad i was sad and upseting
i got great information about the big tsunami of 2004
its is really horrible what happpened to this place.I get all teared up thinking about it!
dose anyone have any graphs we need it in math ass i dont know why
im so sorry of wat had happened to your mother in the tsunami.
if any part of my family was killed or injured by anything or anybody i would never let go of thier hand until i die.
so again im so sorry of wat had happened
to all those who have had family, friends or anyone close to you lost in a tsunami i am so sorry for you all i can say is stay strong and live your live in pride not regret so keep your head helld high sorr again u rock stay strong bobbyxxx
wow so many people died
how can a tsunami can prevent
guyz dis really awfull.i dnt understand y do all these disasters happen at a time....
this is so bad i fee; so bad 4 them :(((((( :'(( *tears*
yes this is sooooooo sad.i cant imagine me being in this situation.i dont kno how it feels but i kno these people still wanted to be alive.hopefully there werent any children because they wasnt even livin for a long period of time.i will pray for dem nd myself so tht i wont be in tht situation........wow thts crazy
can tsunamis be prevented??
i know rigth
no thay can not
i hope they can, i have been wondering the same... I have a homework assignment i have to create a factfile on this Tsunami... and i have to answer this question. I am really stuck.
how horrible is this
if any of you know the answer o how long a tsunami last please contact me.@idk.
5 to 10 hours somtimes 11
The pictures rock on here. Me and my buddy are doing a project on this subject (tsunami). We are being graded on this and we were wondering if you could put more pictures on this for us and if you can we will be grateful. So please it is the major grade of the year to see if we pass to the next grade so thank-you for your convienyence.
Yours Truley
yoyoyoyoyo dawggggggg
all the people that died will be remberd
wow it caused some damage lol
Hello Samantha you think this is funny lol well it not i was one of the Tsunmi people from thiland i all most died ha ha is that funny NO my dog all most died you should feel sorry for them who died i know i do i cryed all the way home so you should feel so pain now dam it samamtha you should feel sorry that makes me feel sad now and i just got over the Tsunmi wave :{
do you guys know were I can get some info about tsunamis
hi everybody,
brooke, i am sorry about your mom
different world, i am sorry about what u had to see happen at the beach
and for people that have been affected emotionally by tsunamis, i am proud of u guys for pushing thru this. keep going, u guys. u rock.
could this disaster happen againand why?
what steps could have been taken to minimize the damage
can somone tell me were i can get some good pictures of tasunamis i need some for school
who helped the people that survid in the tsunami house was life from then on ??????????????????????????
what makes the tsunami happend how is it created and why is it realy dangeruse can it come to boston????
Well if a tsunami is powerful enough it can reach the west part of boston.What makes a tsunami dangerous is that it starts and builds up water from thousands of miles. Eventualy it gets big enough to destroy entire cities and flood states.
I'm sorry for what happened to victims of Tsunami 2004
Hey shit happens! Just because we have bad weather and some organisms on this planet happen to get caught in a hurricane or a tornado or whatever doesnt mean that we should let the powers that be completly take over the world in one big secure digital new world order with 0 freedoms no freedom of thought or anything else no more of this free trade north american union bullshit. Hitler wanted globalization too :)
i saw what happened 2 me it is very sad
I was in a tsunami when it struck i was on the beach and as soon as the water flew out we all ran into a cab and drove. We didnt get far away so we got out the car and got helped up on to a building. I watched many young and older people be swepted up with the massive wave i never cried so much im my life. No one should go through this pain..
I am so sorry to hear about your mother. I hope no one else was hurt. were you able to see it coming or come onto land? again I am very sorry about what happened to you and your family.
Hello , my name is Karris and i am really sorry to hear about your Mother , it must of been really hard for you , without my mum i wouldnt no what to do . Was there any other members of your family hurt ?
yes there was why
i think that the tsunami has touched so many lives, i am so sorry for the families that have lost someone. i can't even think of the pain that you are feeling and i can't even begin to imagine.
yeah i feel the same way im really am sorry for those who lost someone in this tsunami it was recorded the most deadliest storm in america. im really sad i lost someone close to me also so i know how it feels. just think they are going to be in a special place. where they can never get hurt ever again.
hello my name is brooke telietha filer and my mum was killed in the tsuami.
Dear Brooke, I am so very sorry to hear about what happened to your mother. It must have been such a terrible time for you. In what country do you live? Were other members of your family OK?
