WHAT IS A TSUNAMI? A tsunami is a deadly series of seismic sea waves: ocean waves triggered primarily by the movement of the ocean floor during strong earthquakes. Volcanic eruption in or near the ocean may also cause tsunamis. Tsunamis generally cause major damage to coastlines and can cause death. The worst tsunami in history occured after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the northwest cast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004. The resulting oceanwide tsunami struck Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and the Africa. Nearly a quarter million people died as a result. A tidal wave is an ocean wave of unusual strength caused by the same tidal forces that create the daily tidal ebb and flow. One such wave appears annually at Chinas Hangzhou Bay.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 02:01:40 +0000