Monday, 4 August 2025
When we hear the word “tsunami,” we often imagine towering waves crashing onto shorelines. However, tsunami behave more like fast-flowing tides than regular ocean waves, carrying water and debris in and offshore and generating strong currents as they do so. While a small tsunami is unlikely to sweep over people and structures, they still pose serious risks to people in the water or on small boats.
Our friends at GNS have recently shared a great article that explains why the threat from even small tsunami needs to be taken very seriously, like the one triggered by Wednesday 30 July’s M8.8 earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia. All tsunami advisories deserve our attention, and how understanding their behaviour helps keep us safe.