Will the December 26th Indian Ocean Tsunami Prove to be the Most Powerful Tsunami Ever? USGS scientists were on the ground in Sri Lanka and Sumatra during January and are currently in the Maldives. On-site field surveys document astonishing wave heights (up to 80 feet in Sumatra), strength of the tsunami, and the distance waves traveled inland destroying villages, dramatically eroding shorelines, and transporting massive amounts of sand and saltwater inland (as far as 4 miles). Read on for info about the findings of the study.

Discover how sand deposit measurements are used not only to track tsunami heights and flow velocity from this tsunami, but can be used to reconstruct past tsunamis from the geologic record, which can provide greater understanding and modeling of the powerful 9.0 earthquake and tsunami. This valuable information can help coastal residents and decision makers prepare for inevitable similar earthquakes and tsunamis in Cascadia (which includes Washington, Oregon and northern California), Alaska and elsewhere in the world.