In 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia generated a series of enormous waves that traveled across the Indian Ocean and caused widespread destruction on its surrounding shores. Among the worst hit were Sri Lanka and the east coast of Africa. Japan, because of its unique position over the intersection of four tectonic plates, has experienced many tsunamis— tsunami is in fact a Japanese word, meaning “harbour wave.”

This video offers a bit of insight into the mechanics of a tsunami. In 2004, which was also the year that hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in the United States, many people began to say that global warming was causing massive environmental disasters. However, a tsunami is not necessarily climate-related.
It is caused when tectonic plates under the ocean bump together, creating an earthquake that displaces a massive amount of water. The resulting wave travels very fast in deep water, but only reaches heights of maybe a few feet. It’s when it comes close to shore, in shallow water, that the wave begins to grow, and can become big enough to take out a ten-storey building. Tsunami waves also don’t crest like regular waves do, instead just pushing their way inland.