Planet in Peril: Tsunami Surges

Extreme weather in our time.

Extreme weather dominates news bulletins around the world. From tsunamis to superstorms, floods to wild fires, natural disasters affect people globally on a daily basis.

Tsunamis, and their deadly consequences, have hit the headlines over the past decade as two enormous tsunami waves devastated first communities throughout southeast Asia in 2004, and then the coast of Japan in 2011. But why are these occurrences so difficult to predict? And what happens to the affected communities after disaster has struck?

Planet in Peril: Tsunami Surges answers these questions and many more, including what tsunamis are, what causes them and how technology is helping people to prepare for them.

The book looks at three of these natural disasters from recent years in detail: the Boxing Day Asian tsunami, sometimes referred to as tsunami 2004, the Chilean earthquake and tsunami of 2010 and the Japan tsunami of 2011.

Comprehensive case studies cover when and where the tsunami wave struck, the immediate impact of the disaster, the long-term effects, the global aid efforts and the rebuilding and regeneration of affected communities.

Eyewitness panels give firsthand accounts of the disaster from tsunami victims, emergency service personnel, aid workers and scientists working to combat the effects of natural disasters.

Infographic elements display statistics about each tsunami in a clear, concise and visual way.

Learn about the preparations made for tsunamis: what protective mechanisms and warning systems are in place, the emergency drills people must learn, and how communities are evacuated in the event of a disaster.

Find out about the disaster recovery effort immediately after each event, how aid reaches affected areas, and where it comes from.

See how communities fare in the immediate aftermath, how they cope with damage to infrastructure and homes, lack of basic necessities and, in some cases, the loss of friends or relatives. Then find out how they cope long-term, deal with the economic impact, and regenerate.

Discover if climate change and global warming are increasing the impact of tsunamis, and how research is being done, and technology developed, to combat them. See how tsunami warning systems and evacuation drills can dramatically improve people's chances of survival, and learn about some natural solutions, such as mangrove forests, that lessen the force of tsunami waves.

Planet in Peril: Tsunami Surges is ideal for children age 9+, for geography and science projects, or simply for anyone interested in finding out the background behind the 'extreme weather' news reports.