Barrier Reef could have blocked tsunami: scientist

A Queensland marine scientist says the Great Barrier Reef may have delayed the impact of the tsunami that was generated in the Solomon Islands on Monday.
Dr Rob Beaman filmed three waves which caused the sea level off Cairns to rise by around 20 centimetres on Monday morning.
He believes the waves were a delayed and small-scale impact from the earthquake and ensuing three-metre tidal wave in the Solomons.
Dr Beaman says the waves arrived nearly 30 minutes later than predicted and he believes the Barrier Reef could be the reason.
"It would need some modellers with some very fancy computers to be able to work it out exactly," he warned.
"The arrival time is based on modelling that is done at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre and they may have to fine-tune that somewhat for future tsunami predictions."
Dr Beaman says the first impact he filmed at Yorkeys Knob marina was followed by two other waves which churned up the bottom of the marina and turned the water a murky brown.
"When that second pulse came through it was amazing. I almost had to pinch myself to believe it because I could really easily see this big line of brown water moving into the marina," he said.
"This is an ebbing tide, the water should be moving out, but it was coming in."