SULAWESI, INDONESIA — Scientists have a theory about what might have caused the tsunami that followed the earthquake in Indonesia last week to be so destructive.
The 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the center of the island of Sulawesi, triggering 6-meter-tall tsunami waves that crashed in Palu, reports the BBC.
The earthquake itself was a strike-slip quake, which means the ground breaks horizontally instead of vertically.
Scientists say strike-slip quakes often cause tsunamis that are less than 1 meter tall.
Scientists suspect the Indonesia earthquake may have triggered an underwater landslide that destabilized sediment underwater, causing it to break free and tumble.
Palu's bay's elongated shape also may have also worked to amplify the effect of the tsunami.
The earthquake and the tsunami have already caused substantial damage in Indonesia, with more than 1,000 people confirmed dead and many more trapped under collapsed infrastructure in Sulawesi.
