With such small heights and long wave lengths, therefore, Tsunamis are not noticed by someone on a ship in deep water, even though they have such large celerities. It is only when Tsunamis shoal that the full destructive potential of these waves are seen and felt. Also, ships in harbors will be lifted by these waves and moved several hundred meters on shore. While most Tsunamis have heights and speeds less than this, the destructive power of these smaller waves also can do great damage. Intense cyclones at sea have very low pressure centers around which the storm winds blow.
Storm surge does more damage, and kills and injures more people, than the winds of the storm.
During that storm, it was reported that one resident, who decided to ride out the storm in her condo, called rescue personnel and asked to be rescued because she heard and felt something banging against the stilts that anchored her home to the land. Only the next day was it discovered that the banging came from cars that were floating and being thrown about in the storm surge. I never did hear what happened to the woman or her condo.