TSUNAMIS
- Tsunamis are huge waves that begin then the sea floor is violently shaken by an earthquake, a landslide or a volcanic eruption.
- In deep water tsunamis travel almost unnoticeably below the surface. However, once they reach shallow coastal waters they rear up into wave 30 meter/higher.
- Tsunamis are often mistakenly called “TIDAL WAVE” but they are nothing to do with tides. The word tsunamis (soon-army) is Japanese for “HARBOUR WAVE”.
- Tsunamis usually come in a series of a dozen or more-anything from five minute to one hour apart.
- Before tsunami arrives, the sea may recede dramatically, like draining from a bath.
- Tsunamis can travel along the sea bed as fast as a jet plane, at 700 km/ hour or more.
- Tsunamis arrive within 15 minute from a local quake.
- A tsunamis generated by can earthquake in Japan might swamp San Francisco, USA, 10 hour later.
- The biggest tsunamis ever recorded was an 85 meter high wave which stuck Japan on April 24,1771.
- Tsunamis warnings are issued by the pacific tsunami warning centre in Honolulu.
Tsunamis may be generated underwater by an earthquake then travel for along the seabed before emerging to swamp a coast.
Planet Earth Book (41)
GROLIER
Planet Earth Book (41)
GROLIER
0 Comments
