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1. The Calm Before the Tsunami
Photograph by Sadatsugu Tomisawa, AP
In the first of a series of newly released pictures showing a Japanese shoreline before and during the recent tsunami, a beach in Fukushima Prefecture appears calm.
The tsunami, captured here by a researcher working on the coast, struck northeastern Japan after a magnitude 9 earthquake, nearly wiping away entire towns.
A tsunami isn't a tidal wave but a series of waves—or wave train—in which the first isn't necessarily the most dangerous. Seen from on shore, a tsunami may be more like a rapidly rising tide than a series of giant breaking waves.
(See "Japan Tsunami: 20 Unforgettable Pictures.")
Published March 24, 2011
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2. Wall of Water
Photograph by Sadatsugu Tomisawa, AP
In the second picture in the sequence, the tsunami’s initial surge tosses a van (lower right) as waves approach the beach in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, on March 11.
A tsunami slows down when it reaches shallow water near the coast. The top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically—often accompanied by underwater turbulence—that can suck people under and toss heavy objects.
Published March 24, 2011
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3. Beach Engulfed by Tsunami
Photograph by Sadatsugu Tomisawa, AP
On March 11 waves surge over treetops in the final photo of the tsunami-picture sequence captured by a researcher and released this week.
The danger from a tsunami can last for several hours after the arrival of the first wave, and surge heights can vary dramatically from beach to beach.
More Tsunami News, Pictures, Video, and Facts
- How You Can Help Japan in Tsunami Aftermath
- Is Japan Reactor Crew Exposed to Fatal Radiation?
- How Is Japan's Nuclear Disaster Different?
- Japan Tsunami, Before & After: Zoomable Satellite Images
- Japan Earthquake Shortened Days, Increased Earth's Wobble
- Japan Earthquake Not the "Big One"?
- Japan Battles to Avert Nuclear Power Plant Disaster
- Tsunami Waves Hit U.S.—Some Damage in Hawaii, California
- Tsunami Pictures: Epic Waves, Earthquake Shock Japan
- Tsunami Facts in Wake of Japan Earthquake
- Japan Tsunami Pictures: Nuclear Reactor and Cities Burn
- Video: Tsunami 101
- Tsunami Safety Tips
- Tsunamis More Likely to Hit California Than Thought?
- Chile Tsunami Pictures: Earthquake's Other Aftermath
- Tsunami Pictures: Tsunami Aerial Views
- Deadly Tsunami Swarm Hit Haiti After Quake, Experts Say
- Meteorite Triggered Ancient New York Tsunami?
- Tsunami to Hit Caribbean When Million-Ton Rock Falls?
- Did Animals Sense Tsunami Was Coming?
Published March 24, 2011
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