I think that if were to happened US there would be less dead. Building are stronger, better infrastructure and usually less population per Sq mile... and then after the tsunami would hit the US population would be relatively safe, pick up would be faster, dead body disposed of and Disease would not really a problem.
That is why these things are even more sad... it happens to people who don't have much and not they don't have anything at all. 1 million displaced and they will probably sleep in tent for months if not years

 

When a tidal wave is heading to the shore, before it hit's the underwater shoreline, the whole wave travels underwater. So boats will not feel anything since the wave is all under the surface. Once it hits the continental slope (or whatever its called), the wave rises up. So you technically can ride "over" the wave.

 

You can have a building made of 40 layers of concrete and it will still collapse. Could something major like this happen to the US? Probably not, I don't remember if there are any major plates under the US. I know there are some in the Atlantic and the real bad ones in the Pacific. Some of the countries are better off than others because of the newer warning systems. You can't stop a natural disaster, you can prepare for it and lessen the damage but it'll still suck.

 

yeah i know, looking at her pictures it looks bad...i can't imagine in srilanka or india..


my ex lives in my neighborhood here at home, just visiting her dad there in thailand.

i'm still all like... holy shit!@?....... so glad she's okay..

 

Dude it would collapse if on the shore... but further away that 40 layer concrete building would last A LOT longer then buildings Sri Lanka. I dont think anyone can argue that if a disaster like this one were to hit USA, Canada or any developed country the death toll would but less regardless if the population is warned or not.

 

well if the wave travels under water at around 500mph what does it do to the fish and other animals? does it kill them?

 

except it was a tsunami and supposedly the boat tipped over seconds after the pic was taken

from what I've read, the tsunami usually isn't as high as a tidal wave, but has more force coming onto the shore.

 

I believe when it is traveling that fast, the wave is NOT 20-50ft high. It is only as it gets closer to shore that the waves slow down due to the ocean floor and then it rises and gets taller.

 

It's like a shockwave I'm guessing, that's just what i learned on Discovery :exnbp:

 

Wow, 40K+? That's just insanity. Pure insanity. My thoughts are with those people and their families. I could not imagine going through something like that...