Was That A Tsunami? 79
Rebecka Schumann writes "The East Coast was hit by a tsunami earlier this month, but apparently, no one was the wiser. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a rare six-foot wave collided with the region in early June, a phenomenon currently under review. The wave is being considered 'complex' and is believed to have been caused 'the slumping at the continental shelf east of New Jersey' or a strong storm according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. While speculation regarding the mystery tsunami is rampant, another individual is claiming the surge could possibly be a 'meteotsunami,' meaning it was not caused by seismic activity but merely a change in meteorological conditions. Paul Whitmore, an NOAA tsunami center director, said a weather system's ability to change air pressure is enough to 'generate waves that act just like tsunamis.' The alleged tsunami caused three divers to be swept off rocks, two reportedly requiring medical attention after suffering from non life-threatening injuries due the storm. The tsunami, which also caused damage to boats and docks, reportedly lasted a total of five minutes." For less obtrusive advertising, see similar stories at The Verge, and at NPR.
One of my earliest memories (Score:5, Interesting)
I was four years old. We were at Myrtle Beach, SC. We were on dry sand, quite far back. I seem to recall the waves being large and clean, with very little chop; but not threatening to people up on the beach. A wave charged in, all the way to the boardwalk. The beach is relatively flat there, so the actual depth was only about a foot. My mother picked me up. My sister and my father were large enough to fend for themselves. I have no idea if anybody was hurt. The beach cleared. In the panic, my yellow plastic shovel was lost; but I spied it from up on the balcony of the motel. "Mommy, can you pllllleeeeease get it?". She went down, but another wave or a person must have taken it.
Since then, I've heard of at least one other incident like this. I think it was in Florida.
Re:I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:One of my earliest memories (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied... (Score:4, Interesting)
I certainly be willing to have the US government pay for part of it.
ha! - they defunded the sensor study to keep track of the separation of the two sides of the mountain years ago. Also, we're not allowed to talk about that one in the new world of asymmetric risks.
FYI, there's a tool online that will show projected inundations of various tsunami types (who's got better Google Fu than me at the moment?). The wave in question will lap up against the east side of the mountain ridge just to my east. I probably need to worry about seismic impacts here (81m inland) but will stay dry and not get crushed by the shockwave.