Question:
| What is a tsunami? |
Answer:
| A tsunami is a series of pressure waves caused by a sudden shift in the ocean floor. Such shifts are usually caused by earthquakes, but they can also be caused by undersea landslides or slumps, volcanoes, or even meteor impacts. In deep ocean waters, the waves can travel hundreds of miles an hour with little surface indication. However, as the waves approach land, the shallow waters cause them to slow down and build up, sometimes to very significant heights. The recent tsunami from the earthquake in Sumatra had reports of tsunami wave heights as high as 60 feet, and wave heights of 100 feet have been recorded in Japan in prior tsunami events. The waves can radiate out in all directions from the epicenter, and can travel great distances. The term tsunami is Japanese for “harbor wave,” although they are also mistakenly called tidal waves. |
Last Updated: 2007-01-08 16:44:38.0
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