A large part of the Asian continent has just experienced a Black Wednesday due to the strong earthquake that hit Taiwan (the worst in the last 25 years) which caused the death of at least 9 people and left more than 800 injured, as confirmed by the authorities.
At the same time as the incredible videos of the earthquake appeared online, the prefecture of Japan has issued a tsunami warning which only added more drama to the issue. Videos of the “retreat” of the tides on the island’s coast circulated on X and announced the worst.
Japan’s tsunami warning was issued Wednesday morning in the south of the country, Jiji Press reported.
The Taiwan earthquake, estimated at 7.7 and occurring at a depth of 23 kilometers, was felt with an intensity of 4 – Japanese scale – in the city of Yonaguni near Taiwan, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported.
Fortunately for the islanders, it all ended with a scare: the advisories were downgraded to advisories within hours of their announcement.
A man observes the tsunami warning in Okinawa, Japan. Photo: APSmall maritime phenomena similar to tsunamis occurred. There were waves of 30 centimeters in Yonaguni and Miyaki and 20 centimeters in Ishigaki. None of these “mini-tsunamis” caused human or property damage, the governor reported. Tamaki Denny.
The video showing how a tsunami is formed
One of the most popular animated videos on the Internet showing how the tsunami shape was uploaded to YouTube in 2016 by National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce.
The video of just under two minutes shows how “the generation of a tsunami due to seismic activity on the seabed” generates a wave that “propagates on the surface of the ocean and inundates the coast”.
On YouTube, NOAA’s publication is preparing to reach 41 million views.
But… How is a tsunami formed?
The official website of the Argentine government describes the tsunami as “a giant wave, more than 15 meters high, which reaches the coast and produces large floods”.
In the same article we read that “one of the processes that generate a tsunami occurs following a sudden movement of the seabed, whether rising or falling”.
The 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, one of the most devastating in history. Photo: AFPThe shifts may be due to a dislocation of the oceanic crust or to the action of submarine earthquakes., which causes a large amount of ocean water to be pushed out of its level. Then the ocean, trying to find its balance, produces immense waves.
“It is estimated that at least 90% of these phenomena are caused by earthquakes.in which case they are called ‘tectonic tsunamis’ and the remaining 10% are called volcanic eruptions and geological faults,” the report states.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.