Tsunami

Discover Tsunami

A tsunami is a giant wave hitting the coast. It is usually caused by an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or underwater landslide (also often caused by an earthquake). At sea, the wave is hardly noticeable, but when it is slowed down by a shallow area, such as near the coastline, it becomes steeper and can rise to a height of tens of meters, with an enormous destructive force. Imagine having a mid-sized building suddenly appear at the edge of the water and fall down on the beach. Now imagine that the building is made of water and as wide as the eye can see, and beyond that. You don't want to be underneath that. Realistically, the only way to survive a moderate-to-large tsunami is to not be present in the inundation zone when it arrives. Fortunately, if it's detected by local warning systems or if you know what to look for before you can see it, you will likely have at least several minutes to get away before it hits.