Indonesian Tsunami

• What are tsunamis considered in terms of natural disasters?

  One of the worst forms
• How tall were the waves of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami?

  30 metres tall
• How many people did the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami kill?

  Approximately 230,000 people
• How many countries were affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami?

  14 separate countries
• What causes tsunamis unlike normal waves?

  Large displacements of water
• What caused the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami?

  A large undersea megathrust earthquake
• What was the magnitude of the earthquake that caused the tsunami?

  1. 2 in magnitude
• How long was the subduction zone involved in the earthquake?

  1600 kilometres long
• What happened to the Burma plate during the earthquake?

  It bulged under strain
• What was released due to the earthquake that caused the tsunami?

  A massive amount of energy
• How much water was displaced by the earthquake?

  30 cubic kilometers of water
• What was the energy equivalent of the tsunami waves?

  Five megatons of TNT
• How does the frequency of tsunamis typically occur?

  Two tsunamis occur per year
• How often does a very large destructive tsunami strike?

  Approximately once every 15 years
• What factors contributed to the deadliness of the 2004 tsunami?

  Proximity to land and tsunami speed
• How far was the hypocenter of the earthquake from the coast?

  Approximately 160 kilometers
• How quickly did the first tsunami waves arrive after the earthquake?

  20 minutes after the earthquake
• What was the immediate impact of the tsunami on northern Sumatra?

  Nearly 100,000 people were killed
• How long after the earthquake did the waves hit Thailand?

  An hour and a half later
• At what speed do tsunami waves typically travel?

  About 500 miles per hour
• Why were many countries caught by surprise during the tsunami?

  No tsunami warning systems were in place
• What makes tsunami detection challenging?

  Water disturbances occur in deep water
• How does a tsunami behave in deep ocean water?

  Forms a low broad hump
• What happens to a tsunami as it approaches the coastline?

  It slows down and forms large waves
• What are the first signs of a possible tsunami?

  The earthquake itself
• Can tsunamis strike far from the earthquake's location?

  Yes, they can strike thousands of kilometers away
• What additional events can cause tsunamis besides earthquakes?

  Volcanoes or landslides
• What is the National Tsunami Warning Center's role?

  It monitors tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean
• When was the National Tsunami Warning Center founded?

  In 1967
• What is the Ring of Fire?

  A region with many earthquakes and volcanoes
• What percentage of earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire?

  Roughly 90%
• What percentage of volcanoes are located in the Ring of Fire?

  75%
• What is the primary component of the tsunami warning system?

  Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART)
• What does the DART system monitor?

  The ocean floor for tsunami forecasts
• What are the three parts of the DART system?

  Pressure recorder, buoy, acoustic link
• How does the DART system measure water pressure?

  By monitoring the water column above it
• What happens if a large wave passes over the DART system?

  It measures higher water pressure
• What initiates the tsunami alert process in the DART system?

  Higher water level than recent averages
• How does the DART system communicate alerts?

  Using underwater acoustics to surface buoy
• What happens after the tsunami alert is sent to the warning center?

  Further analysis is conducted