A tsunami by many other names

by Sara E. Pratt
Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Storm-triggered waves have been recognized and recorded around the world, including the U.S. where, in addition to the Great Lakes, they have occurred in New England, on the West Coast and on the Gulf Coast. In some parts of the world, they are common enough to have special names. In Croatia, the phenomenon is called Šćiga; in Malta, it is Milghuba; in Spain, Rissaga; in Japan, Abiki; and in Finland, Seebär. Scientists everywhere call them meteorological tsunamis, or meteotsunamis. Here are a few notable occurrences:

  • A 4-meter-high meteotsunami struck Nagasaki Bay in Japan in 1979.
  • A 5-meter wave took out cars in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1992.
  • In June 2006, a meteotsunami struck Ciutadella Harbor on Menorca Island, Spain, causing 10 million euros in damage to boats and the town.
  • A 3.5-meter surge poured into Boothbay Harbor, Maine, in 2008.

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