TSUNAMI

BY NATHAN HUNT

A tsunami starts when a huge volume of water quickly shifted this rapid movement can happen as the result of an underwater earthquake (when the sea floor quickly moves up or down (a rock slide, a volcanic eruption, or another high – energy event.

The development

Speed

A tsunami can travel at well over 970 kph (600 mph in open ocean – as fast as a jet flies . It can take only a few hours for a tsunami to travel across entire ocean. A regular wave ( generated by the wind) travels up to about 90 km/hr.

SIZE Tsunamis have an extremely long wavelength ( wavelength is the distance between the crest and top of the wave and the crest of the next wave )—they can be a hundred miles long between to successive waves ( is also very long about one hour deep.)

Tsunamis are very rare . There are roughly six major tsunamis each century. Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning harbor wave.

How often they occur

Warning systems

•Tsunami warning systems exist in many places around the world. As scientist continuously mentor seismic activity( earthquakes. A series of buoys float off the coast and monitor changes in sea level . Unfortunately , since tsunamis are not very tall in height when they are out at sea. Dentation is not easy and there are many false alarms , sirens at affected beaches my be activated – do not ignore them!!!!!!!!!

“ A tsunami will come suddenly. So when you feel a strong earthquake, leave the shore immediately!!”