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Experiencing tsunamis

Read an introduction to tsunamis and consider a major tsunami from recent history.
© Cardiff University

Tsunamis are a regular event on our planet and can have devastating consequences.

The International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC) is responsible for monitoring international tsunami warning activities in the Pacific and other oceans. You can find all the current tsunami warnings via the ITIC website.

2004 Sumatra / Indian Ocean tsunami

One of the most significant and widely reported tsunamis occurred in 2004. When a series of enormous tsunami waves surged across the Indian Ocean. These waves inundating the coastal communities in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka with huge amounts of water.

This animation from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center shows the wide impact of the tsunami.

This is an additional video, hosted on YouTube.

Over to you

  • Do you remember the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami being reported?
  • Would you consider this to be one of the biggest natural events you’ve heard about in your lifetime?
© Cardiff University
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Extreme Geological Events

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