Rare Video: Japan Tsunami | National Geographic

all across northern Japan they felt it a

all across northern Japan they felt it a violent magnitude 9.0 earthquake on

violent magnitude 9.0 earthquake on

violent magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 2011 it was centered about 80

March 11 2011 it was centered about 80

March 11 2011 it was centered about 80 miles offshore and tsunami warnings went

miles offshore and tsunami warnings went

miles offshore and tsunami warnings went up immediately in coastal cities people

up immediately in coastal cities people

up immediately in coastal cities people knew what to do next run to higher

knew what to do next run to higher

knew what to do next run to higher ground it’s from these vantage points on

ground it’s from these vantage points on

ground it’s from these vantage points on hills and in tall buildings that

hills and in tall buildings that

hills and in tall buildings that incredible footage was captured in

incredible footage was captured in

incredible footage was captured in Kesennuma people retreated to a

Kesennuma people retreated to a

Kesennuma people retreated to a high-rise rooftop and could only watch

high-rise rooftop and could only watch

high-rise rooftop and could only watch in horror as tsunami waves inundated

in horror as tsunami waves inundated

in horror as tsunami waves inundated their city

their city

their city knocking buildings into rubble and

knocking buildings into rubble and

knocking buildings into rubble and mixing into a kind of tsunami soup

mixing into a kind of tsunami soup

mixing into a kind of tsunami soup filled with vehicles building parts and

filled with vehicles building parts and

filled with vehicles building parts and contents seawater cascaded over sea

contents seawater cascaded over sea

contents seawater cascaded over sea walls and Indesit EES this video shows

walls and Indesit EES this video shows

walls and Indesit EES this video shows the water rushing over an 18-foot

the water rushing over an 18-foot

the water rushing over an 18-foot seawall in the comedy city the seawall

seawall in the comedy city the seawall

seawall in the comedy city the seawall here was the world’s deepest and largest

here was the world’s deepest and largest

here was the world’s deepest and largest but not enough for the magnitude of the

but not enough for the magnitude of the

but not enough for the magnitude of the March 11 disaster it was the largest

March 11 disaster it was the largest

March 11 disaster it was the largest quake ever known in Japan and one of the

quake ever known in Japan and one of the

quake ever known in Japan and one of the five largest recorded in the world more

five largest recorded in the world more

five largest recorded in the world more than 28,000 people are confirmed dead or

than 28,000 people are confirmed dead or

than 28,000 people are confirmed dead or missing when two tectonic plates pushed

missing when two tectonic plates pushed

missing when two tectonic plates pushed together under the sea the resulting

together under the sea the resulting

together under the sea the resulting earthquake sends an enormous burst of

earthquake sends an enormous burst of

earthquake sends an enormous burst of energy up through the ocean displacing

energy up through the ocean displacing

energy up through the ocean displacing enormous quantities of water with the

enormous quantities of water with the

enormous quantities of water with the upward motion a series of waves expands

upward motion a series of waves expands

upward motion a series of waves expands in all directions in deep water these

in all directions in deep water these

in all directions in deep water these waves travel fast up to 500 miles an

waves travel fast up to 500 miles an

waves travel fast up to 500 miles an hour but only reach a height of a few

hour but only reach a height of a few

hour but only reach a height of a few feet a passing ship might not even

feet a passing ship might not even

feet a passing ship might not even notice but as the waves enter shallow

notice but as the waves enter shallow

notice but as the waves enter shallow waters friction with the ocean floor

waters friction with the ocean floor

waters friction with the ocean floor lowers

lowers

lowers of speed but raises their height this

of speed but raises their height this

of speed but raises their height this video is from a Japan Coast Guard ship

video is from a Japan Coast Guard ship

video is from a Japan Coast Guard ship confronting a tsunami wave in shallow

confronting a tsunami wave in shallow

confronting a tsunami wave in shallow water on March 11 and a rare view from

water on March 11 and a rare view from

water on March 11 and a rare view from the air video of a tsunami wave

the air video of a tsunami wave

the air video of a tsunami wave approaching the shoreline in Japan some

approaching the shoreline in Japan some

approaching the shoreline in Japan some tsunami waves reached as far as 3 miles

tsunami waves reached as far as 3 miles

tsunami waves reached as far as 3 miles inland Japan may be the most

inland Japan may be the most

inland Japan may be the most seismological II studied country in the

seismological II studied country in the

seismological II studied country in the world and with more than 1,200

world and with more than 1,200

world and with more than 1,200 high-precision GPS stations a

high-precision GPS stations a

high-precision GPS stations a geophysicist at the University of Alaska

geophysicist at the University of Alaska

geophysicist at the University of Alaska used the data to create a visualization

used the data to create a visualization

used the data to create a visualization of the March 11 quake the waves of

of the March 11 quake the waves of

of the March 11 quake the waves of displacement that you see we’re moving

displacement that you see we’re moving

displacement that you see we’re moving as fast as 5 miles per second

as fast as 5 miles per second

as fast as 5 miles per second in this photo the ripples of tsunami

in this photo the ripples of tsunami

in this photo the ripples of tsunami waves are seen moving upstream in the

waves are seen moving upstream in the

waves are seen moving upstream in the naka river at katachi naka city new

naka river at katachi naka city new

naka river at katachi naka city new technology left an enormous amount of

technology left an enormous amount of

technology left an enormous amount of visual evidence for studying years to

visual evidence for studying years to

visual evidence for studying years to come and can perhaps help us better

come and can perhaps help us better

come and can perhaps help us better understand the power of earthquakes and

understand the power of earthquakes and

understand the power of earthquakes and tsunamis and prevent loss of life in the

tsunamis and prevent loss of life in the

tsunamis and prevent loss of life in the future