Natural Disasters Under (And Above) The Waves
The ocean's beaches are great places for sunbathing, recreation, real estate, and more, but what happens when you see a 50-foot wave rumbling toward shore? Time to head for the hills! One type of aquatic disaster is called a tsunami (pronounced soo-naw-mee). A tsunami is a very large tidal waved caused by an undersea earthquake, landslide, or another anomaly. Tsunamis can rid an entire coastline of life, turning it into a barren plain. But, through the wonders of ecological succession, life will soon come back.
Banda Aceh Tsunami
On December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck in the eastern Indian Ocean. People in Banda Aceh, an Indonesian city, were struck by a colossal wave. The entire city was demolished. People were devastated. All wildlife in the surrounding region was wiped out. But after the initial shock, people noticed that things were coming back. The slide show below shows images of Banda Aceh before and after the tsunami.