History of Tsunamis and Its Damages and Devastation

Japan is one of the worlds most seismically dynamic areas, where quakes are ordinary. Supposedly, so far the state has features roughly 20 % of the worlds shivers of magnitude 6 or Tsunamis can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes are a particular kind of earthquake that are associated with the earths crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position. Waves are formed as the displaced water mass, which acts under the influence of gravity, attempts to regain its equilibrium. When large areas of the sea floor elevate or subside, a tsunami can be created. Large vertical movements of the earths crust can occur at plate boundaries. Plates interact along these boundaries called faults. Around the margins of the Pacific Ocean, for example, denser oceanic plates slip under continental plates in a process known as subduction. Subduction earthquakes are particularly effective in generating tsunamis.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.0 and was the biggest since the Good Friday Earthquake off Alaska in 1964 which had a magnitude of 9.2. Entire towns were wiped from the map, more than 200,000 people were killed, and millions have been left in urgent need of food and shelter. The epicenter of the earthquake was near the island of Simeulu, off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The wave hit Indonesia and Thailand within an hour, and then Sri Lanka and India, and eventually reaching as far as eastern Africa. This tsunami destroyed most of the shores of

Tsunami of January 15, 2009 (Kuril Islands)

A major earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.4 (USGS magnitude) occurred at 17:49:39 UTC 15 January 2009 (day 015) and was located 270 miles/432 km south of Severo-Kurilsk, Kuril Islands, Russia (46.862N, 155.156E, 22.4mi/36.0km depthUSGS location). This earthquake produced a tsunami that was recorded at tide gages monitored at the Tsunami Warning Centers. Many observatories provide data to the centers; such as the NOAA National Ocean Service, the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the U. of Hawaii Sea Level Center, the Chilean Navy, and the National Tidal Facility in Australia among others. Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami, when available. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of arrival computed at the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval
column shows the time between samples.

Tsunami of January 3-4, 2009 (Irian Jaya) A major earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.6 (USGS magnitude) occurred at 19:43:55 UTC 3 January (day 003) and was located 93 miles WNW of Manokwari, Irian Jaya, Indonesia (0.51S, 132.787E, 21.7mi/34.7km depth USGS location). Two hours and 50 minutes after the first earthquake, a second major earthquake (occurring at These earthquakes produced tsunamis that were recorded at tide gages monitored at the Tsunami Warning Centers. Many observatories provide data to the centers; such as the NOAA National Ocean Service, the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the U. of Hawaii Sea Level Center, the Chilean Navy, and the National Tidal Facility in Australia among others. Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami, when available. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of arrival computed at the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between samples.

Tsunami of August 7-8, 2008 (Kasatochi volcano)

A volcanic eruption, preceded by a swarm of magnitude 3.0 to 5.8 earthquakes, was first observed at 2217 UTC (1417 AKDT) on 07 August 2008, and was located at Kasatochi Volcano - 52.2N, 175.5W. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported three major explosive eruptions at Kasatochi volcano between approximately 2230 UTC (1430 AKDT) on 07 August and 0500 UTC on 08 August (2100 AKDT on 07 August). Ash from these explosions reached at least 45,000 ft above sea level. According to AVO, the possibility of explosive events continues. The volcanic eruption produced a 19-cm amplitude tsunami measured at the Adak, Alaska tide gauge at 0324 UTC on 08 August 2008. The tsunami was also recorded at Atka, Alaska with a maximum amplitude of 7 cm. These tide gages are monitored by the Tsunami Warning Centers and are maintained by NOAAs National Ocean Service. Click on the site name below to see a graph of the tsunami. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed arrival time is the observed tsunami arrival time in UTC. Approximate tsunami travel times from the volcano to the tide gages are 25 minutes to Adak and 34 minutes to Atka.

Tsunami of April 09, 2008 (Vanuatu Islands)

The earthquake produced a tsunami that was recorded at the Port Vila, Vanuatu tide gage monitored at the Tsunami Warning Centers. The data was provided by the National Tidal Facility in Australia. Click on the site name to see a graph of the tsunami. Listed wave heights are maximum amplitude in cm (above sea level). Observed Arrival time is the actual tsunami arrival time in UTC on gages where it could be determined. The Computed Arrival time is the estimated time of arrival computed at the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) based on the origin time and location. The Sample Interval column shows the time between samples.