Elephant Puppet looks at the waves π
0The biggest wave ever recorded by humans was a mega tsunami that occurred in Lituya Bay, Alaska, on July 9, 1958. It was triggered by an earthquake and a landslide that displaced a large amount of water and rock. The wave reached a height of 1,720 feet (524 meters) above sea level, which is higher than the Empire State Building1. It destroyed trees and vegetation along the shore and woke people up who were ever asleep or fishing in fishing boats. The wave was so powerful that it also created a smaller wave that travelled in the opposite direction of the bay. This event is considered the largest tsunami of modern times and one of the most extreme natural phenomena ever witnessed by humans. A tsunami and a tidal wave are both types of ocean waves, but they have different causes and effects. A tidal wave is a regular wave that is influenced by the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon. It occurs twice a day and has a predictable height and pattern. A tsunami is an irregular wave that is triggered by a sudden displacement of water, such as an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or a landslide. It can occur at any time and has a very long wavelength and low amplitude in the open ocean. However, when it reaches shallow water near the coast, it can increase in height and speed, creating a destructive wall of water that can flood the land and cause damage and casualties
Waves transmit energy, not water, and are commonly caused by the wind as it blows across the ocean, lakes, and rivers. Waves caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun are called tides. The ebb and flow of waves and tides are the life force of our world ocean.