00:00Why didn't a massive tsunami strike after a huge earthquake near Russia?
00:04Let's break it down.
00:05At 1124 a.m. local time, a colossal magnitude 808 earthquake rocked the seafloor near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
00:13This is one of the most tsunami-prone zones in the world.
00:16And for good reason. It triggered a deadly 30-foot tsunami back in 1952.
00:21So when this quake hit, sirens wailed, coastlines emptied, and millions across the Pacific scrambled to higher ground.
00:28Japan, Hawaii, and even parts of South America were bracing for the worst.
00:32But what happened next? Not much.
00:35Waves just over 4 feet hit Japan and Hawaii.
00:38California saw up to 8 feet, but damage was minimal.
00:41So what gives?
00:43Well, the fault that slipped didn't unleash enough vertical force to displace massive volumes of water.
00:48And tsunami energy doesn't travel in perfect circles.
00:52It moves unevenly, depending on how the quake ruptures.
00:55Add to that the shape of the seafloor and coastlines, which can either amplify or soften incoming waves.
01:01And here's the kicker. An 8.8 isn't nearly as powerful as it sounds.
01:05The 2011 Japan quake was three times stronger.
01:08So in short, the science worked.
01:10The warnings saved lives.
01:12And the ocean this time held back its full fury.
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