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Story: Tsunamis

Tsunami spread, 2004

Video file

This animation illustrates the spread of the tsunami waves caused by the Indian Ocean earthquake of 26 December 2004. They travelled thousands of kilometres across the Indian Ocean and beyond.

Using this item

National Geophysical Data Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Reference: Vasily V. Titov, Tsunami Inundation Mapping Efforts (TIME), NOAA/PMEL - UW/JISAO, USA

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How to cite this page

Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, Tsunamis – Tsunamis – New Zealand’s underrated hazard, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/6207/tsunami-spread-2004 (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009.