The Wave...
...itself will travel through water at up to 600 miles (1000 kilometers) per hour and will be unseen by sea going vessels, as the wave travels within the upper layers of the water. However, as it approaches the shoreline the wave erupts above the water level to the same height as the wave depth, in this case over 100 feet. There may also be a series of waves of various sizes. 100/120 feet (37 meters) refers to the waves in the quoted New York/ Boston area. The effect nearer to the event will be MUCH, MUCH worse.

Effects of Radiation Exposure on Human Health
Although a dose of just 25 rems causes some detectable changes in blood, doses to near 100 rems usually have no immediate harmful effects. Doses above 100 rems cause the first signs of radiation sickness including:
o nausea
o vomiting
o headache
o some loss of white blood cells
Doses of 300 rems or more cause temporary hair loss, but also more significant internal harm, including damage to nerve cells and the cells that line the digestive tract. Severe loss of white blood cells, which are the body's main defense against infection, makes radiation victims highly vulnerable to disease. Radiation also reduces production of blood platelets, which aid blood clotting, so victims of radiation sickness are also vulnerable to hemorrhaging. Half of all people exposed to 450 rems die, and doses of 800 rems or more are always fatal. Besides the symptoms mentioned above, these people also suffer from fever and diarrhea. As of yet, there is no effective treatment--so death occurs within two to fourteen days.
In time, for survivors, diseases such as leukemia (cancer of the blood), lung cancer, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and cancers of other organs can appear due to the radiation received.