Tsunami Animation Shows How Wave Spread

NOAA has put a fascinating timeline together along with some very interesting graphs that chart the wave triggered by the earthquake as it moved across the Pacific and affected coastlines. Apparently, early detection based on warning buoys collected data that helped them alert Samoa and other nearby islands several minutes before the wave hit, possibly saving hundreds of lives. The wave arrived in Pago Pago, American Samoa about 20 minutes after the earthquake. Click on the link below to see the animation:

NOAA Center for Tsunami Research