01:460:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Tsunami Warning System, Burma Plate, Joule
Document Summary
On december 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake off the west coast of sumatra, indonesia happened. This earthquake generated a series of tsunamis along the coasts of different countries bordering the. Indian ocean, which ended up killing a great deal of people. Thousands of people died from this catastrophic event. The earthquake had the longest lasting duration ever recorded, lasting between 500 to 600 seconds which equals about 10 minutes. Imagine how disastrous this earthquake was by shaking everything on its path for ten minutes straight without stopping. Billions of dollars of damage were caused by this tsunami and earthquake. It is estimated that the total energy released by this earthquake was equivalent to 3. 35 exajoules or about as much energy used in the united states in 11 days. This earthquake was caused by the subduction of the indian plate and the burma plate,which activated a chain of tsunamis which destroyed everything on its path.