The Tsunami

A tsunami is caused by an undersea earthquake.

Tsunami Safety tips

• When in coastal areas, stay alert for tsunami warnings
• Plan an evacuation route that leads to higher ground.
• Know the warning signs of a tsunami: rapidly rising or falling coastal waters and rumblings of an offshore earthquake.
• Never stay near shore to watch a tsunami come in.
• A tsunami is a series of waves. Do not return to an affected coastal area until authorities say it is safe.

what is a Tsunami ?

• Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea.
• Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases.
• The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave.
• Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters.
• While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves.

what causes a tsunami?

• Tsunamis arise from the sudden displacement of gigantic water masses due to earthquakes on the sea bed, Volcanic eruption above and under water, landslides or meteorite impacts. About 86 % of all Tsunamis result from so-called seaquakes.
• The term tsunami from the Japanese and means "Big wave in the port".

About 80% of tsunamis happen within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire.”

Facts - tsunamis

• The first wave of a tsunami is usually not the strongest, successive waves get bigger and stronger.
• The states in the U.S. at greatest risk for tsunamis are Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California.

facts - tsunami

• Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation: "harbour wave". In the past, tsunamis have been referred to as "tidal waves" or "seismic sea waves". The term "tidal wave" is misleading; even though a tsunami's impact upon a coastline is dependent upon the tidal level at the time a tsunami strikes, tsunamis are unrelated to the tides. (Tides result from the gravitational influences of the moon, sun, and planets.) The term "seismic sea wave" is also misleading. "Seismic" implies an earthquake-related generation mechanism, but a tsunami can also be caused by a non-seismic event, such as a landslide or meteorite impact.