Writing About: A Tsunami

Many of you can probably guess why I’m sharing this post. Yes, a tsunami is the disaster that strikes in Book 3 of my Disaster Crimes Series.
TITLE REVEAL: Tsunami Crimes
I sent Tsunami Crimes to my publisher last Friday for consideration….

When I set out to write this post, a million things flooded my brain, and then my mind went blank. I’ve come to the conclusion that this post is the most difficult one I’ve EVER had to write in the three years I’ve done this Writing About feature on my blog. Because of that, I’m abandoning my normal format of 5-10 pointers with detailed descriptions for each. Instead, I’ve constructed a list of things to remember, which is just like the list I had when I had to write about a tsunami, and the aftermath, in Book 3 of my Disaster Crimes series.
Image from Flickr

Keep in mind this is for a devastating tsunami:

-       Flocks of birds fly away from the shore (away from the wave). 

-       A rumbling sound in the air and all around. 

-       A blast of wind and mist.

-       The wave approaches like a massive (40-50 foot) wave on the shore but with impeccable speed and surprising force.

-       People caught in the wave are twisted round and round. 

-       Objects hit them in the water. 

-       They struggled to reach the surface and keep their head above the water.

-       It’s almost impossible to hold their breath.

-       If they survive the initial impact and don’t drown, many try to grab onto something. Anything.

-       The water rushes them inland (most can travel for one mile).

-       The wave is so strong that it can lift vehicles, toss boats, tear apart houses and even uproot trees. 

Image from Youtube

-       There’s usually more than one wave in a tsunami and the first isn’t even the biggest.

-       After sometime, the movement slows, stops and then reverses. This is when people and debris get carried out to sea.

-       Debris will be everywhere. The ground will be muddy and flooded in some places.

-       Survivors will have injuries (bruises, cuts, deep gashes, broken bones, etc.)

-       Some survivors are either naked or missing articles of clothing because the water ripped it off their bodies.

-       Getting to safety and higher ground is the #1 goal along with finding loved ones they may never see again.

Image from Wikipedia
South East Asia

-       When aid arrives, helicopters will be flying over, people will be searching for survivors and the dead, and supplies will be coming in, such as food, water and blankets.

-       Most people will go to shelters and the hospital for treatment and to search for loved ones.

-       It takes many years for places hit by a massive tsunami to get back to normal, and even then it will never be like it once was. Same can be said for the survivors.

I recommend watching The Impossible about the tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004 and reading true accounts from tsunami survivors. But also to do a lot of research about tsunamis and the setting of your story to understand what would happen if a tsunami struck that specific location.

See: T is for Tornado and Tsunami

QUESTION: Have you see the movie THE IMPOSSIBLE? What do you think about the disaster for Book 3 being a tsunami?

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BLURB:
An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
When a tip reveals the killer's location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

HURRICANE CRIMES 99¢ SALE!
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