Tsunami sand deposit

Tsunami sand deposit at Nilaveli Beach on the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka following the December 26th, 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The sand deposited by the tsunami is light colored and overlies a pre-tsunami darker sandy soil. This tsunami deposit is approximately 20-25 centimeters thick and composed of two thick layers defined by darker areas (heavy mineral layers). It is believed that these are multiple pulses of sand deposition from the series of waves that the tsunami generated.