Fresh on the heals of the Tahiti earthquake, Chile has been rocked by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake. On the surface, you might think what this has to do with the aquarium world. But to tie it in with our hobby, the earthquake has sent a tsunami in the direction of Hawaii, California and islands in the South Pacific earlier today. The tsunami did hit these areas, but deaths or significant damage has been reported.
Tsunamis are not only dangerous for people who live near the ocean, but coral reefs located near land are also endangered. The tsunami is not very dangerous out in the open ocean, but as it approaches shallower water, the wave begins to build upon itself. When this happens, the wave is at it’s most dangerous point. The tsunami releases its energy onto the surrounding structures (whether it be beach or reef) and can dislodge corals and do some real damage. Additionally, if the wave does damage to property on or near the beach, the receding waters can bring thousands of pounds of debris and pollution into the ocean.
