Survivor Family – Tsunami
By Coyalita Linville
Survivor Family – Tsunami – What Is a Tsunami? A tsunami is a massive wave or series of waves that can be anywhere from ten to a thousand feet high.
Tsunamis hit the coastline with deadly force, causing damage to property, the natural environment, and great loss of life.
Tsunamis don’t occur spontaneously. They’re triggered by earthquakes, landslides, underwater volcanic activities, meteor impacts and other causes.
Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes and most large-scale earthquakes are followed by dangerous tsunamis, especially if they occur underwater.
Another word for tsunami is tidal wave, which is a misnomer because tsunamis are not related to the moon or its tides. They are also called seismic sea waves, another misnomer because non-seismic activity such as a landslide can also trigger a tsunami.
How Tsunamis Occur
A tsunami is caused by a massive displacement of water. If you fill a bowl with water and drop a rock into the bowl, you’ll get a simple demonstration of how a tsunami works. The water is displaced and flows over the edges of the bowl.
The same thing happens when there is an earthquake or other disturbance in the ocean, but instead of the water flowing over the edge of the bowl, it comes crashing to the shore.
