The tsunami which devasted Tonga and Samoa in September of last year was caused by two almost simultaneous earthquakes, shows research led by GNS scientists.
Only one of the earthquakes was originally detected, but it is now thought that one of the earthquakes triggered the other – the interaction of the two explains the characteristics of the tsunami which had baffled scientists: strange arrival times, polarities and amplitudes.
Media coverage:
Dom Post: Two quakes caused Samoan tsunami – scientists
Newstalk ZB: Double trouble caused Tsunami
NZ Herald: Double jolts made tsunami fierce