# Mega-tsunami as terrorist threat

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mega-tsunami-as-terrorist-threat/154472>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 11, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mega-tsunami-as-terrorist-threat/154472 "2003-02-11T23:57:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mega-tsunami-as-terrorist-threat/154472/41 "2003-02-13T22:50:55Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _originally posted by Jjimm_  
> **It would cause a bit of a splash in Africa and Europe, but it needs to travel across an ocean to really build up momentum.**

> [@](#):
>
> _from site mentioned in [**OP**](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/956280.stm)_  
> **The wall of water would weaken as it crossed the ocean, but would still be 40-50 metres (130-160 feet) high by the time it hit land. The surge would create havoc in North America as much as 20 kilometres (12 miles) inland.**

[ul]😕 [sup]So, does it build in momentum or does it weaken?[/sup][sub] **that is the question.** [/sub][/ul]

> [@](#):
>
> _originally posted by Zagadka_  
> **Unless Osama shaves his head, gets a furless cat and starts wearing  
> quasi-futuristic clothing, I think this is a pretty goddamned unlikely scenario.**

Is this your idea of how a **Mad Scientist** dresses? :eek:

> [@](#):
>
> _originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor_  
> \*\*Go here-- [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...threadid=162871](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...threadid=162871)
> 
> ```
> BLAST IT!!!
> 
> Everybody in this thread read the link!!!**
> 
> ```

I read his link and for those that didn’t **Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor** says that duct tape won’t save you and everyone living of the eastern coast should move inland. :rolleyes: [sup]More than 12 miles.[/sup]

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**Author:** ![Inoshiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a9adbd/32.png) [@Inoshiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inoshiro)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mega-tsunami-as-terrorist-threat/154472/42 "2003-02-14T01:13:06Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kniz \*  
> \*\*[ul]😕 [sup]So, does it build in momentum or does it weaken?[/sup][sub] **that is the question.** [/sub][/ul]  
> \*\*

Tsunamis don’t build up momentum. The energy that creates them is all there at the start and dissipates as the wave expands. In the open ocean they are quite low, only a meter or less but move very fast, hundreds of kph. The U.S. east coast will have only a few hours warning when the Canary rockslide goes. Tsunamis are also very long. As they approach shore they enter shallower water and the wave dynamics dictate that they slow down a lot, shorten, and gain tremendously in height.

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