The tsunami that hits Banten and Lampung on Sunday (23/12) leave a huge question mark. The sea at the shore did not withdraw back to the ocean as common tsunami do. This is a rare case but it happens especially if we can see an active volcano in the middle of the ocean. This phenomenon is later known as shocknami or known as shockwave tsunami. So, what is shocknami?
Shocknami came from Tsunami Generate by Shockwave
The eruption in the middle of the island at the sea can generate a wide-range shockwave. Like how a speedboat and plane fly low, the shockwave alone can generate a tsunami albeit in a tiny scale. Unlike an earthquake, however, shocknami or known as shockwave tsunami are least to expect. The eruption can cause a shockwave in a large scale and has the potential to create a tsunami. The simplest thing to make is how you use explosive on water. The explosion can generate shockwave where the water will create a wave to the shore. The shockwave usually travels faster since it was made by sound and wind. It also takes less time to arrive than an earthquake-made tsunami.
It can catch us off-guard without detection
Without tsunami buoy to detect an anomaly, the tsunami created by shockwave can result in an unexpected disaster. While we will notice if there is an earthquake near the shore, the shockwave from volcano eruption can catch us off-guard. The shockwave literally can't pull the shoreline back since the wave comes from the source of the explosion itself. Water can contain the earthquake made by a volcano eruption, but shockwave can't be contained regardless of any situation made. That's because it can travel at the speed of sound and strong wind.
Weaker than Earthquake but stronger in speed
Earthquake in the ocean is made because of the epicenter made under the ocean floor. It boasts powerful tsunami but the sequence is slow depends on where it comes from. Shocknami, on the other hand, is made either through explosions or eruption at the surface of the ocean. However, the process can happen very fast due to wave generate by shockwave is faster than earthquake does. The damage is less catastrophic but since it travels in quick speed, the shore can get hit faster. In conclusion, shockwave tsunami is lethal when there is a volcano in the middle of the ocean. (
AMS)
