Tsunamis are very different from typical surf swells. They are created by the violent motion of the ocean and traveling at high speeds(www.nature.com)In addition, they can travel great transoceanic distances with little loss of energy. Tsunamis can cause damage thousands of kilometers from its origin, so it may be several hours between its creation and its impact on the coast.
Indian Ocean
Four years ago, on Dec. 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake, northern Sumatra. Running along the Mentawai section of the border between the Indian-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates, the largest earthquake since ...