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What is a Tsunami?
A tsunami looks similar to,
but not the exact same as a huge wave. It is an endless rush of tide that
forces its way forward past all obstacle because of the sheer
weight of the water. This is what makes tsunamis cause immense damage when
they reach the shore. Any structures or other objects that stand in the
way are obliterated. Most people don't actually realize the incredible
size of a tsunami, not only can they reach 100ft above the wave but a
tsunami moves the entire depth of an ocean, moving water around 8 kilometers
below the surface. A tsunami travels across open ocean at about 500-1000
km/h and it is only a meter tall and reaches 10 meters under the water but once
it hits shallow water the wave begins to "pile-up" and becomes the huge wave
everyone envisions when asked about a tsunami.
Tsunamis occur much more than people think and are much
deadlier than believed also. One of the most deadly
tsunamis came from a volcanic eruption in 1883, it killed 36,000 people.
You can run from a tsunami but you can't hide because once a tsunami is started
it cannot be stopped. The most disastrous tsunami in recent times happened
in December, 2004 when a tsunami came from the Indian Ocean and drastically
affected Sumatra, Malaysia, Indonesia, and was so tremendous that places like
India and Africa felt it. It is believed that over 200,000 or more people
drowned in the first minutes of the tsunami. Many other people died from
being earthed in mud. Another tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption in
1883 reached the height of 125 feet and killed thousands of people.
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