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Was That A Tsunami?

Posted by timothy on from the about-time-new-jersey-got-some-bigger-waves dept.

Rebecka Schumann writes "The East Coast was hit by a tsunami earlier this month, but apparently, no one was the wiser. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a rare six-foot wave collided with the region in early June, a phenomenon currently under review. The wave is being considered 'complex' and is believed to have been caused 'the slumping at the continental shelf east of New Jersey' or a strong storm according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. While speculation regarding the mystery tsunami is rampant, another individual is claiming the surge could possibly be a 'meteotsunami,' meaning it was not caused by seismic activity but merely a change in meteorological conditions. Paul Whitmore, an NOAA tsunami center director, said a weather system's ability to change air pressure is enough to 'generate waves that act just like tsunamis.' The alleged tsunami caused three divers to be swept off rocks, two reportedly requiring medical attention after suffering from non life-threatening injuries due the storm. The tsunami, which also caused damage to boats and docks, reportedly lasted a total of five minutes." For less obtrusive advertising, see similar stories at The Verge, and at NPR.

4 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied... by Njoyda+Sauce · · Score: 5, Informative

    Learn to swim.

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    You can only be young once, but you can be immature forever.
    1. Re:I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied... by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Wait for the Canary Island volcano to collapse. Swimming won't be an option...moving 50 miles inland might not even help.

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      People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
  2. One of my earliest memories by istartedi · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was four years old. We were at Myrtle Beach, SC. We were on dry sand, quite far back. I seem to recall the waves being large and clean, with very little chop; but not threatening to people up on the beach. A wave charged in, all the way to the boardwalk. The beach is relatively flat there, so the actual depth was only about a foot. My mother picked me up. My sister and my father were large enough to fend for themselves. I have no idea if anybody was hurt. The beach cleared. In the panic, my yellow plastic shovel was lost; but I spied it from up on the balcony of the motel. "Mommy, can you pllllleeeeease get it?". She went down, but another wave or a person must have taken it.

    Since then, I've heard of at least one other incident like this. I think it was in Florida.

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    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    1. Re:One of my earliest memories by Jmc23 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Since then, I've heard of at least one other incident like this. I think it was in Florida.

      Which begs the question: For what nefarious plot does the Ocean need so many yellow plastic shovels?

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      Don't complain about syntax, grammar, or spelling. There is no.hell like input on android.