The difference in elevation between the highest local water mark and that of the sea-level at the time of the tsunami. This is different from maximum run-up because the water mark is often not observed at the inundation line, but maybe halfway up the side of a building or on a tree trunk.

The vertical distance between a crest and the preceding trough.

The horizontal distance between similar points on two successive waves measured perpendicularly to the crest.

The time for a wave crest to traverse a distance equal to one wavelength. The time for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point.

The lowest part of a wave.

Lands whose saturation with water is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities that live in the soil and on its surface (e.g. Mangrove forests).