Few forces on earth can match the destructive power of a tsunami. These lethal ocean waves can literally rip a person apart. Even concrete buildings are often no match for the brutality of the rushing water. When a tsunami hits, nearly everything it touches can be demolished.
The day after Christmas in 2004, a devastating earthquake occurred on the sea floor underneath the Indian Ocean. This earthquake measured over 9.0 on the Richter scale, making it one of the most powerful ever recorded. It was so powerful, in fact, that the entire planet experienced vibrations from it. The earthquake also generated a tsunami that devastated most of the Asian nations that were unfortunate enough to have coastlines along the Indian Ocean.