Tsunami destruction in Thailand  A tsunami, sometimes referred
to as a tidal wave, is a series of ocean waves created when an
earthquake or other major disturbance displaces a large volume
of water. Powerful tsunamis such as the 2004 Indian Ocean event
can devastate coastal regions as the waves sweep far inland.
Following a quake, tsunamis can travel for thousands of miles.
For example, after the 2011 Sendai earthquake in Japan, a
tsunami alert was issued for almost the entire Pacific region.
Places as far away as Chile were affected by the alert.  A
tsunami is often barely noticeable in deep ocean water, but as
it approaches land and enters shallow water, the waves slow and
increase in height.  Use the BBC News step-by-step tsunami
animated guide to learn more.  Image: Thailand's coastline
before (left) and after (right) the 26 December 2004 tsunami
(credit: Geoeye/SPL)   Tsunami destruction in Thailand Tsunamis
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