NOAA video shows the tsunami's huge path of destruction

As the final tally from last week's devastating earthquake is completed, it's becoming clear that more deaths will have been caused by the tsunami than by the actual earthquake itself. But who knew that the waves traveled as far as Antarctica?

This picture shows that the wave was still about two feet feet high when it reached parts of the U.S. coastline, at which point the water collected to form a much larger swell.

The video below from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows how the waves spread throughout the entire Pacific Ocean in less than 24 hours, moving at the speed of a passenger jet.

While the vast majority of the resulting devastation was confined to the Japanese coastal region, there was still enough force when it reached California to destroy boats moored in marinas, and sweep a bystander trying to videotape the action to his death.

Via PopSci

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