Deadly Waves

Book excerpt: On March 11, 2011, an earthquake rumbled off the coast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. Buildings trembled, some collapsing, and fires started, but the earthquake had stirred up something even deadlier: a tsunami. A colossal wave surged inland, burying parts of the island nation in muddy, debris-filled water. The tsunami consumed buildings, crushed houses, and swept people away. The disaster caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. How can an earthquake deep in the ocean cause this much death and destruction? Author Mary Dodson Wade examines the causes of tsunamis, where they occur, and gives firsthand accounts from survivors of the deadliest waves.