Exercise 11.8 why is a tsunami so powerful?

What is a tsunami? A tsunami is a series of waves caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions. On September 29, 2009, a tsunami caused substantial damage and loss of life in American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga. The tsunami was generated by a large earthquake in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

A compressed tsunami wave’s wavelength shortens and it rises upward after it enters the coastal vicinity, so their height is increased dramatically. As you would with ordinary surf, tsunami waves must have energy in a smaller volume of water, thus increasing height.

Why do tsunami waves increase in size as they travel inland?

But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave.

How dangerous is a tsunami?

Tsunamis with runups over one meter (3.28 feet) are particularly dangerous to people and property. Yet, smaller tsunamis can also be dangerous. Strong currents can injure and drown swimmers and damage and destroy boats and infrastructure in harbors.

What are the characteristics of a tsunami?

A tsunami may come onshore like a fast-rising flood or a wall of turbulent water, and a large tsunami can flood low-lying coastal areas more than a mile inland. Rushing water from waves, floods, and rivers is incredibly powerful. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock adults off their feet, and twelve inches can carry away a small car.

Another popular query is “What happens to the energy of a tsunami when it strikes?”.

One answer is that on land, that energy dissipates once the shaking has stopped. But under water, the energy transfers through the ocean, producing waves that ripple across the seas for hundreds or even thousands of miles.

So, what is the most dangerous tsunami?

Lightning, while beautiful to look at, can be deadly and occurs every day in various parts of the world.

One thought is that and tsunami of 2004, and 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake — feature amongst the most deadly in human history. But equally, some of the most fatal occurred in the very distant past. Making the top three was the earthquake in Antakya (Turkey) in the year 115.

The next thing we asked ourselves was; what to do before, during, and after a tsunami?

What to do before, during and after a tsunami. By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS. A powerful undersea earthquake sent Alaskans fumbling for suitcases and racing to evacuation centers in the middle of the night after a cellphone alert early Before a tsunami. Establish whether your home and other places you frequent are in tsunami hazard areas. After a tsunami, during a tsunami, or read more too are a few extra items to look into.

What causes tornadoes, and why are they so destructive?

The winds rotate because the wind speed and direction changes with height, providing an abundance of something called vertical wind shear. It is this wind shear that causes supercells to rotate, and it is this strong rotating updraft, that spawns hail the size of cricket balls and devastating tornadoes.