Can we expect more tsunamis? A fjord has been transformed by a 481-metre tall wave. Some experts think we have entered the age of the mega-tsunami.
Alaska landslide triggers mega-wave
Rock bottom: Tracy Arm Fjord, where a massive landslide has replaced a wooded slope with a vast expanse of bare rock (right), marking the site where 64 million cubic metres of rock collapsed into the water, creating the second-largest tsunami ever recorded. Glossary
Fjord - A long, narrow, and deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, typically formed by the submergence of a glaciated valley.
Tsunami - A Japanese word describing a succession of waves caused when an earthquake or volcano displaces a large body of water.
Geophysicist - A scientist who studies the Earth and its environment, using data and measurements to understand events such as volcanic activity, earthquakes and the Earth's magnetic field.
Seismic - Of enormous size or effect.
Geomorphologist - A scientist who studies the processes that shape the Earth's surface, investigating how landscapes evolve over time due to processes such as weathering, tectonic activity and human impact.
Geologist - A scientists who studies rocks and other materials that make up the Earth's surface.