Atsunami(plural: tsunamis or tsunami; fromJapanese:, lit. "harbor wave";[1]English pronunciation:/sunmi/soo-nah-meeor/tsunmi/tsoo-nah-mee[2]) is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or alarge lake.Earthquakes,volcanic eruptionsand otherunderwater explosions(including detonations of underwaternuclear devices), landslides,glacier calvings,meteorite impactsand other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.[3]Tsunami waves do not resemble normalsea waves, because their wavelength is far longer. Rather than appearing as a breaking wave, a tsunami may instead initially resemble a rapidly risingtide, and for this reason they are often referred to astidal waves. Tsunamis generally consist of a series of waves withperiodsranging from minutes to hours, arriving in a so-called "wave train".[4]Wave heights of tens of metres can be generated by large events. Although the impact of tsunamis is limited to coastal areas, their destructive power can be enormous and they can affect entire ocean basins; the2004 Indian Ocean tsunamiwas among the deadliest natural disasters in human history with over 230,000 people killed in 14 countries bordering theIndian Ocean.TheGreekhistorianThucydidessuggested in 426 B.C. that tsunamis were related tosubmarine earthquakes,[5][6]but the understanding of a tsunami's nature remained slim until the 20th century and much remains unknown. Major areas of current research include trying to determine why some large earthquakes do not generate tsunamis while other smaller ones do; trying to accurately forecast the passage of tsunamis across the oceans; and also to forecast how tsunami waves would interact with specific shorelines.Contents[hide] 1Etymology 2History 3Generation mechanisms 3.1Tsunami generated by seismicity 3.2Tsunami generated by landslides 3.3Meteotsunamis 4Characteristics 5Drawback 6Scales of intensity and magnitude 6.1Intensity scales 6.2Magnitude scales 7Warnings and predictions 7.1Forecast of tsunami attack probability 8Mitigation 9As a weapon 10See also 11Footnotes 12References 13External links 13.1Images, video, and animations

Etymology

Lisbon earthquake and tsunamiin 1755

The Russians ofPavel Lebedev-LastochkininJapan, with their ships tossed inland by a tsunami, meeting some Japanese in 1779The termtsunamicomes from the Japanese , composed of the twokanji(tsu) meaning "harbor" and(nami), meaning "wave". (For the plural, one can either follow ordinary English practice and add ans, or use an invariable plural as in the Japanese.[7])Tsunami are sometimes referred to astidal waves. In recent years, this term has fallen out of favor, especially in the scientific community, because tsunami actually have nothing to do withtides. The once-popular term derives from their most common appearance, which is that of an extraordinarily hightidal bore. Tsunami and tides both produce waves of water that move inland, but in the case of tsunami the inland movement of water is much greater and lasts for a longer period, giving the impression of an incredibly high tide. Although the meanings of "tidal" include "resembling"[8]or "having the form or character of"[9]the tides, and the termtsunamiis no more accurate because tsunami are not limited to harbours, use of the termtidal waveis discouraged bygeologistsandoceanographers.There are only a few other languages that have an equivalent native word. In theTamil language, the word isaazhi peralai. In theAcehnese language, it isi beunaoraln buluk[10](Depending on the dialect. Note that in the fellowAustronesianlanguage ofTagalog, a major language in thePhilippines,alonmeans "wave".) OnSimeulueisland, off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, in theDefayan languagethe word issmong, while in theSigulai languageit isemong.[11]HistoryMain article:Historic tsunamiAs early as 426 B.C.theGreekhistorianThucydidesinquired in his bookHistory of the Peloponnesian Warabout the causes of tsunami, and was the first to argue that ocean earthquakes must be the cause.[5][6]The cause, in my opinion, of this phenomenon must be sought in the earthquake. At the point where its shock has been the most violent the sea is driven back, and suddenly recoiling with redoubled force, causes the inundation. Without an earthquake I do not see how such an accident could happen.[12]TheRomanhistorianAmmianus Marcellinus(Res Gestae26.10.15-19) described the typical sequence of a tsunami, including an incipient earthquake, the sudden retreat of the sea and a following gigantic wave, after the365 A.D. tsunamidevastatedAlexandria.[13][14]While Japan may have the longest recorded history of tsunamis, the sheer destruction caused by the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamievent mark it as the most devastating of its kind in modern times, killing around 230,000 people. The Sumatran region is not unused to tsunamis either, with earthquakes of varying magnitudes regularly occurring off the coast of the island.[15]Generation mechanismsThe principal generation mechanism (or cause) of a tsunami is the displacement of a substantial volume of water or perturbation of the sea.[16]This displacement of water is usually attributed to either earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions,glacier calvings or more rarely by meteorites and nuclear tests.[17][18]The waves formed in this way are then sustained by gravity.Tidesdo not play any part in the generation of tsunamis.Tsunami generated by seismicityTsunami 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 Earth's crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position.[19]More specifically, a tsunami can be generated whenthrust faultsassociated withconvergentor destructiveplate boundariesmove abruptly, resulting in water displacement, owing to the vertical component of movement involved. Movement on normal faults will also cause displacement of the seabed, but the size of the largest of such events is normally too small to give rise to a significant tsunami. Drawing oftectonic plate boundarybeforeearthquake Overriding plate bulges under strain, causingtectonic uplift. Plate slips, causingsubsidenceand releasing energy into water. The energy released produces tsunami waves.Tsunamis have a smallamplitude(wave height) offshore, and a very longwavelength(often hundreds of kilometers long, whereas normal ocean waves have a wavelength of only 30 or 40 metres),[20]which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 300 millimetres (12in) above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water, in awave shoalingprocess described below. A tsunami can occur in any tidal state and even at low tide can still inundate coastal areas.On April 1, 1946, a magnitude-7.8 (Richter Scale)earthquakeoccurred near theAleutian Islands,Alaska. It generated a tsunami which inundatedHiloon the island of Hawai'i with a 14 metres (46ft) high surge. The area where theearthquakeoccurred is where thePacific Oceanfloor issubducting(or being pushed downwards) underAlaska.Examples of tsunami originating at locations away fromconvergent boundariesincludeStoreggaabout 8,000 years ago,Grand Banks1929,Papua New Guinea1998 (Tappin, 2001). The Grand Banks and Papua New Guinea tsunamis came from earthquakes which destabilized sediments, causing them to flow into the ocean and generate a tsunami. They dissipated before traveling transoceanic distances.The cause of the Storegga sediment failure is unknown. Possibilities include an overloading of the sediments, an earthquake or a release of gas hydrates (methane etc.)The1960 Valdivia earthquake(Mw9.5) (19:11 hrs UTC),1964 Alaska earthquake(Mw9.2),2004 Indian Ocean earthquake(Mw9.2) (00:58:53 UTC) and2011 Thoku earthquake(Mw9.0) are recent examples of powerfulmegathrust earthquakesthat generated tsunamis (known asteletsunamis) that can cross entire oceans. Smaller (Mw4.2) earthquakes in Japan can trigger tsunamis (calledlocalandregional tsunamis) that can only devastate nearby coasts, but can do so in only a few minutes.Tsunami generated by landslidesIn the 1950s, it was discovered that larger tsunamis than had previously been believed possible could be caused by giantlandslides. Underwater landslides that generate tsunamis are calledsciorrucks.[21]These phenomena rapidly displace large water volumes, as energy from falling debris or expansion transfers to the water at a rate faster than the water can absorb. Their existence was confirmed in 1958, when a giant landslide inLituya Bay,Alaska, caused the highest wave ever recorded, which had a height of 524 metres (over 1700 feet). The wave didn't travel far, as it struck land almost immediately. Two people fishing in the bay were killed, but another boat amazingly managed to ride the wave. Scientists named these wavesmegatsunami.Scientists discovered that extremely large landslides from volcanic island collapses can generate megatsunamis that can cross oceans.MeteotsunamisSomemeteorologicalconditions, such as deepdepressionsthat causetropical cyclones, can generate astorm surge, called ameteotsunami, which can raisetidesseveral metres above normal levels. The displacement comes from lowatmospheric pressurewithin the centre of the depression. As thesestorm surgesreach shore, they may resemble (though are not) tsunamis, inundating vast areas of land.[22]Characteristics

When the wave enters shallow water, it slows down and its amplitude (height) increases.

The wave further slows and amplifies as it hits land. Only the largest waves crest.Tsunamis cause damage by two mechanisms: the smashing force of a wall of water travelling at high speed, and the destructive power of a large volume of water draining off the land and carrying all with it, even if the wave did not look large.While everydaywind waveshave awavelength(from crest to crest) of about 100 metres (330ft) and a height of roughly 2 metres (6.6ft), a tsunami in the deep ocean has a wavelength of about 200 kilometres (120mi). Such a wave travels at well over 800 kilometres per hour (500mph), but owing to the enormous wavelength the wave oscillation at any given point takes 20 or 30 minutes to complete a cycle and has an amplitude of only about 1 metre (3.3ft).[23]This makes tsunamis difficult to detect over deep water. Ships rarely notice their passage.This is the reason for the Japanese name "harbor wave": sometimes a village'sfishermenwould sail out, and encounter no unusual waves while out at sea fishing, and come back to land to find their village devastated by a huge wave.As the tsunami approaches the coast and the waters become shallow,wave shoalingcompresses the wave and its velocity slows below 80 kilometres per hour (50mph). Its wavelength diminishes to less than 20 kilometres (12mi) and its amplitude grows enormously. Since the wave still has the same very longperiod, the tsunami may take minutes to reach full height. Except for the very largest tsunamis, the approaching wave does notbreak, but rather appears like a fast-movingtidal bore.[24]Open bays and coastlines adjacent to very deep water may shape the tsunami further into a step-like wave with a steep-breaking front.When the tsunami's wave peak reaches the shore, the resulting temporary rise in sea level is termedrun up. Run up is measured in metres above a reference sea level.[24]A large tsunami may feature multiple waves arriving over a period of hours, with significant time between the wave crests. The first wave to reach the shore may not have the highest run up.[25]About 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, but they are possible wherever there are large bodies of water, including lakes. They are caused by earthquakes, landslides, volcanic explosions glacier calvings, andbolides.Drawback

Wave animation showing the initial "drawback" of surface waterIf the first part of a tsunami to reach land is a troughcalled adrawbackrather than a wave crest, the water along the shoreline recedes dramatically, exposing normally submerged areas.A drawback occurs because the water propagates outwards with the trough of the wave at its front. Drawback begins before the wave arrives at an interval equal to half of the wave's period. Drawback can exceed hundreds of metres, and people unaware of the danger sometimes remain near the shore to satisfy their curiosity or to collect fish from the exposed seabed.Scales of intensity and magnitudeAs with earthquakes, several attempts have been made to set up scales of tsunami intensity or magnitude to allow comparison between different events.[26]Intensity scalesThe first scales used routinely to measure the intensity of tsunami were theSieberg-Ambraseys scale, used in theMediterranean Seaand theImamura-Iida intensity scale, used in thePacific Ocean. The latter scale was modified by Soloviev, who calculated the Tsunami intensityIaccording to the formula

whereHavis the average wave height along the nearest coast. This scale, known as theSoloviev-Imamura tsunami intensity scale, is used in the global tsunami catalogues compiled by theNGDC/NOAAand the Novosibirsk Tsunami Laboratory as the main parameter for the size of the tsunami.Magnitude scalesThe first scale that genuinely calculated a magnitude for a tsunami, rather than an intensity at a particular location was the ML scale proposed by Murty & Loomis based on the potential energy.[26]Difficulties in calculating the potential energy of the tsunami mean that this scale is rarely used. Abe introduced thetsunami magnitude scaleMt, calculated from,

wherehis the maximum tsunami-wave amplitude (in m) measured by a tide gauge at a distanceRfrom the epicenter,a,b&Dare constants used to make the Mtscale match as closely as possible with the moment magnitude scale.[27]Warnings and predictionsSee also:Tsunami warning system

Tsunami warning sign

One of the deep waterbuoysused in theDARTtsunami warning systemDrawbacks can serve as a brief warning. People who observe drawback (many survivors report an accompanying sucking sound), can survive only if they immediately run for high ground or seek the upper floors of nearby buildings. In 2004, ten-year oldTilly SmithofSurrey,England, was onMaikhao beachinPhuket,Thailandwith her parents and sister, and having learned about tsunamis recently in school, told her family that a tsunami might be imminent. Her parents warned others minutes before the wave arrived, saving dozens of lives. She credited her geography teacher, Andrew Kearney.In the2004 Indian Ocean tsunamidrawback was not reported on the African coast or any other eastern coasts it reached. This was because the wave moved downwards on the eastern side of the fault line and upwards on the western side. The western pulse hit coastal Africa and other western areas.A tsunami cannot be precisely predicted, even if the magnitude and location of an earthquake is known.Geologists,oceanographers, andseismologistsanalyse each earthquake and based on many factors may or may not issue a tsunami warning. However, there are some warning signs of an impending tsunami, and automated systems can provide warnings immediately after an earthquake in time to save lives. One of the most successful systems uses bottom pressure sensors, attached to buoys, which constantly monitor the pressure of the overlying water column.Regions with a high tsunami risk typically usetsunami warning systemsto warn the population before the wave reaches land. On the west coast of the United States, which is prone to Pacific Ocean tsunami, warning signs indicate evacuation routes. In Japan, the community is well-educated about earthquakes and tsunamis, and along the Japanese shorelines the tsunami warning signs are reminders of the natural hazards together with a network of warning sirens, typically at the top of the cliff of surroundings hills.[28]ThePacific Tsunami Warning Systemis based inHonolulu,Hawaii. It monitors Pacific Ocean seismic activity. A sufficiently large earthquake magnitude and other information triggers a tsunami warning. While the subduction zones around the Pacific are seismically active, not all earthquakes generate tsunami. Computers assist in analysing the tsunami risk of every earthquake that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and the adjoining land masses. Tsunami hazard sign atBamfield,British Columbia A tsunami warning sign on aseawallinKamakura, Japan, 2004 The monument to the victims of tsunami atLaupahoehoe,Hawaii Tsunami memorial inKanyakumaribeach A Tsunami-hazard-zone sign (in Spanish and English) inIquique,Chile

AseawallatTsu, Japan

Tsunami Evacuation Route signage alongU.S. Route 101, inWashingtonAs a direct result of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a re-appraisal of the tsunami threat for all coastal areas is being undertaken by national governments and the United Nations Disaster Mitigation Committee. A tsunami warning system is being installed in the Indian Ocean.Computer modelscan predict tsunami arrival, usually within minutes of the arrival time. Bottom pressure sensors relay information inreal time. Based on these pressure readings and other seismic information and the seafloor's shape (bathymetry) and coastaltopography, the models estimate the amplitude and surge height of the approaching tsunami. AllPacific Rimcountries collaborate in the Tsunami Warning System and most regularly practice evacuation and other procedures. In Japan, such preparation is mandatory for government, local authorities, emergency services and the population.Some zoologists hypothesise that some animal species have an ability to sense subsonicRayleigh wavesfrom an earthquake or a tsunami. If correct, monitoring their behavior could provide advance warning of earthquakes, tsunami etc. However, the evidence is controversial and is not widely accepted. There are unsubstantiated claims about the Lisbon quake that some animals escaped to higher ground, while many other animals in the same areas drowned. The phenomenon was also noted by media sources inSri Lankain the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[29][30]It is possible that certain animals (e.g.,elephants) may have heard the sounds of the tsunami as it approached the coast. The elephants' reaction was to move away from the approaching noise. By contrast, some humans went to the shore to investigate and many drowned as a result.Along the United States west coast, in addition to sirens, warnings are sent on television & radio via theNational Weather Service, using theEmergency Alert System.Forecast of tsunami attack probabilityKunihiko Shimazaki (University of Tokyo), a member of Earthquake Research committee of The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion of Japanese government, mentioned the plan to public announcement of tsunami attack probability forecast atJapan National Press Clubon 12 May 2011. The forecast includes tsunami height, attack area and occurrence probability within 100 years ahead. The forecast would integrate the scientific knowledge of recentinterdisciplinarityandaftermath of the 2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami. As the plan, announcement will be available from 2014.[31][32][33]MitigationSee also:Tsunami barrierIn some tsunami-prone countriesearthquake engineeringmeasures have been taken to reduce the damage caused onshore.Japan, where tsunami science and response measures first began following adisaster in 1896, has produced ever-more elaborate countermeasures and response plans.[34]That country has built many tsunami walls of up to 4.5 metres (15ft) to protect populated coastal areas. Other localities have builtfloodgatesand channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunami. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as tsunami often overtop the barriers. For instance, theOkushiri, Hokkaid tsunamiwhich struckOkushiri IslandofHokkaidwithin two to five minutes of theearthquake on July 12, 1993created waves as much as 30 metres (100ft) tallas high as a 10-story building. The port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a tsunami wall, but the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area. The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the tsunami, but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life.[35]As a weaponThere have been studies and at least one attempt to create tsunami waves as aweapon. In World War II, theNew Zealand Military ForcesinitiatedProject Seal, which attempted to create small tsunamis with explosives in the area of today'sShakespear Regional Park; the attempt failed.[36]Tsunami effectsThe effects of a tsunami are devastating. They are one of the world's worst natural disasters that can hit a country.Tsunami damage is first caused by the immense force of the tidal wave hitting the shoreline. Tsunami flooding then continues to cause damage for several more weeks.The effects of the tsunami on the country during this period range fromdestruction and damage,death,injury,millions of dollars in financial loss, and long lastingpsychological problemsfor the inhabitants of the region.The initial impact of the tsunami is often publicised across the world through the news media. However, the actual effects continue for many years after the natural disaster struck.For many of the people affected, they will never forget the terrifying ordeal of being caught in a tsunami. The scars that are inflicted on the land can be present for decades to come, and this only serves as a reminder to people living in the area of the terrible losses caused by the tsunami, and the lingering danger that yet another killer tidal wave could strike at any moment with very little warning.

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Tsunami: Tidal wave hits the shoreSix more great tsunami hubs full of information What causes a Tsunami?Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning ''harbour wave'' that refers to a series of large ocean waves that hit a... The biggest tsunamis in historyThe biggest tsunami ever was caused by an enormous 8.3 magnitude earthquake in Alaska on July 9, 1958. What are tsunamis and where do they happen?Tsunamis most often begin in the ocean and travel through the water to the nearest coastline. Tsunami warning systems: Precautions used to predict deadly tidal wavesIn recent years by monitoring seismic activity under the sea it has become possible to predict when tsunamis will happen. How to survive a tsunami: A guide to escaping a natural disasterThere are precautions that everybody can take to saves lives and prevent injury in tsunamis. Japan 2011: The tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdownThe tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011 threatened one of the worst nuclear meltdowns that the world has seen.Tsunami damage and destructionA tsunami's tidal waves batter the shoreline can destroy anything in their path.This includes boats, buildings, houses, hotels, cars, trees, telephone lines - and just about anything else in their way.Once the waves have knocked down infrastructure on the shore the waves continue inland for up to another mile.As the water rushed across the land it can sweep away yet more trees, gardens, buildings, cars and other man made equipment.Boats have often been hurled into the sky and iron parking metres have been bent to the ground.Tsunamis often hit poorer and less-developed countries around South Asia that are close to the ''ring of fire'' in the pacific ocean - a area with high seismic activity.Because these countries are poor their buildings are not built strongly to withstand natural disasters such as Tsunamis.This means that when the water hits the buildings they are easily washed away.The water leaves a trail of destruction that looks like an enormous bomb has exploded in the area. Entire towns and villages have been destroyed.DeathThere is very little warning before Tsunamis hit. This means that people living in towns and villages on the coast do not have time to escape.Unfortunately one of the biggests and worst effects of a Tsunami is the cost to human life. Hundreds and thousands of people are killed by Tsunamis.The force of the tsunami wave may kill people instantly or they may drown as water rushes on the land.People may also be killed if a building is knocked down by the tsunami and it hits them. They could also be electrocuted if wires fall down into the water or they may be killed by fires or explosions.The tsunami that struck South Asia and East African on Decmber 24 2004 killed a staggering 31,187 people in Sri Lanka. There were 4,280 missing people and a further 23,189 were injured.

Destruction: Homes are destroyed by the tsunami

Chaos: Palm trees on the coast are battered by the waterDiseaseTsunamis flood the areas close to the coast. This can cause disease to spread in the stagnant water.Illnesses such as malaria form when water is stagnant and contaminated. This can cause more deeath and sickness.Often the infastructure such as sewage and fresh water supplies for drinking are damaged from the tsunami. This makes it more difficult for people to stay healthy and for diseases to be treated. In these conditions for diseases are likely to spread.

Desperate: A child hit by the tsunami in India is carried awayCostThere is immediately a massive cost when tsunamis happen. Rescue teams come in to the area and victims of the tsunami needed to be treated.Governments around the world may help with the cost of bringing aid to a tsunami hit area. There might also be appeals and donations from people who have seen pictures of the area in the media.After the initial cost of rescue operations there is the clean up cost. Debris from the destruction caused by the tsunami needs to be cleaned away. Damaged buildings that are no longer structurally safe may need to be knocked down.There is also the cost that comes from loss of earnings in the local economy and also future losses as the area will be damaged for some time.The total financialcost of the tsunami could be millions or even billions of dollars. It is difficult to put an excat figure on the monetary cost but is a lot.

Help: Rescue teams carry away a man injured by a tsunamiPsychological effectsTsunami victims suffer psychology problems in the days and weeks after the destruction. This could even continue for years - often there entire life time.A study by the World Health Organisation on survivors of the tsunami in Sri Lanka on December 24 2004 found that three to four weeks after the tsunami between 14 and 39 per cent of the children had post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).In another study 41 per cent of adolescents and approximately 20 per cent of those adolescents' mothers had PTSD four months after the event.Many people from the Peraliya area of Sri Lanka where 2,000 people died and 450 families became homeless had problems up to two years after the tsunami.They were anxious and stressed because they felt like their life was in danger from another tsunami. They were also suffering from grief because they knew somebody who had died.There were also people who were depressed because they had lost their home, their money or theirbusiness in the tsunami. Many still had PTSD.

FAMOUS TSUNAMISThe 2004 Tsunami- The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, an undersea earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004 triggered a series of deadly tsunamis that spread throughout the Indian Ocean, killing huge numbers of people and devastating coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and other countries. Over 280,000 people are estimated to have perished due to these Tsunamis and it is one the worst natural disasters in recorded history.

A tsunami that struck Honshu, Japan in 1896 had actually passed beneath the boats of a few anglers who were at sea. They could never guess that the gentle wave that passed them would take on monstrous proportions. It left 28,000 people dead on the coast and destroyed 170 miles of coastline. The anglers who had been at sea returned safe to a destroyed coastal town.

In April 1946, at Hilo in Hawaii, a wave that had traveled all the way from Alaska, a good 2,500 miles, struck and left several dead and property worth millions destroyed.

In 1958 in Alaska, a tsunami traveled 1,700 feet up a hillside and totally wiped out plant life there. The sequence of events was first an earthquake, then a landslide caused by the tremors and then the resultant tsunami.

Even when it is possible to issue a tsunami warning, the tsunami generally hits minutes after the warning, rendering it pointless. And as it is a series of waves, often the first one is generally gentle and the waves get forceful progressively. So people are advised to stay away from the danger area for a while until the danger passes. A tsunami that originated in the Pacific Ocean in 1960 in the wake of a massive earthquake in the coastal area of Isla Chiloe, Chile, traveled for fifteen hours and then struck Hawaii.

Sretcher: A woman who was caught in the wave is carried to safetyTsunami news Chance for big tsunami in eastern Japan within 30 yrs revised up to 30% - Mainichi Daily NewsMainichi Daily News Chance for big tsunami in eastern Japan within 30 yrs revised up to 30% Mainichi Daily News A fire is seen in an area overcome by the tsunami in this photo taken from a Mainichi... -6 hours ago After Tsunami, Japanese Coastal Town Struggles to Recover - PBS NewsHourAfter Tsunami, Japanese Coastal Town Struggles to Recover PBS NewsHour Independent Television News' Alex Thomson reports from Kesennuma, Japan, on one fishing port's struggle to come back... -7 hours ago Yairi using tsunami pine for guitars - The Japan TimesThe Japan Times Yairi using tsunami pine for guitars The Japan Times Yairi Guitar, the famed guitar maker in Kani, Gifu Prefecture, is using pine trees knocked down by the March 11 tsunami to... -9 hours agoTsunami videosOn March 11 at 2:46pm JST a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred near the northeastern coast of Japan, creating extremely destructive tsunami waves which hit Japan just minutes after the earthquake, and triggering evacuations and warnings across the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake and tsunami have caused extensive and severe damage in Northeastern Japan, leaving thousands of people confirmed dead, injured or missing, and millions more affected by lack of electricity, water and transportation.