TSUNAMI

THE WORLD

DISASTERS

The drowning of an empire

            The tsunami that struck the Mediterranean island of Crete around 150BC was one of the greatest natural disasters in history. The colossal 60-metre-high waves swept across the entire island, drowning the Minoan civilization - the oldest and richest in Europe. The destruction of this kingdom is the likely basis for the legend of the Lost of Atlantis.

Waves of destruction
         The world 'tsunami' comes from japan, where 'harbour waves' are a constant danger. the 10-metre-high giants that crashedinto Okushiri Island on 13 july '1993, caused widespread devastation, killing more than 200 people.

Ocean racers
1. Undersea earthquakes and eruptions cause massive falls and rises in the ocean floor, convulsing the sea into great wave movements.

2. the waves, 1,000 km or more wide, cause the entire sea level to rise. In open sea, they travel faster than a bullet speeding from a gun.

3. Near land, friction with the rising seabed slows the tsunami. The sea is sucked from the shore into the wave, making it rear up a it hits.