Portal:Tsunamis

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The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Ao Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand

A tsunami (/(t)suːˈnɑːmi, (t)sʊˈ-/ (t)soo-NAH-mee, (t)suu-; from Japanese: 津波, lit. 'harbour wave', pronounced [tsɯnami]) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, landslides, glacier calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances) above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. Unlike normal ocean waves, which are generated by wind, or tides, which are in turn generated by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, a tsunami is generated by the displacement of water from a large event.

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A tsunami deposit (the term tsunamiite is also sometimes used) is a sedimentary unit deposited as the result of a tsunami. Such deposits may be left onshore during the inundation phase or offshore during the 'backwash' phase. Such deposits are used to identify past tsunami events and thereby better constrain estimates of both earthquake and tsunami hazards. There remain considerable problems, however, in distinguishing between deposits caused by tsunamis and those caused by storms or other sedimentary processes. (Full article...)

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Events that can cause a tsunami

An earthquake – also called a quake, tremor, or temblor – is the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they cannot be felt, to those violent enough to propel objects and people into the air, damage critical infrastructure, and wreak destruction across entire cities. The seismic activity of an area is the frequency, type, and size of earthquakes experienced over a particular time. The seismicity at a particular location in the Earth is the average rate of seismic energy release per unit volume. (Full article...)

List of events articles
Submarine earthquake Tsunami earthquake Submarine eruption Landslide Glacier calving Meteorite impact

Did you know...

... that tsunami stones serve as risk warnings for tsunamis in Japan?

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General images

The following are images from various tsunami-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Evacuation route sign on the pavement in Kamakura, Japan (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 2Drawing of tectonic plate boundary before earthquake (from Tsunami)
Image 3Evacuation route sign in a low-lying coastal area on the West Coast of the United States (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 4Tsunami warning system in East Timor (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 5The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Ao Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand (from Tsunami)
Image 6Over-riding plate bulges under strain, causing tectonic uplift. (from Tsunami)
Image 7The wave further slows and amplifies as it hits land. Only the largest waves crest. (from Tsunami)
Image 8Diagram showing how earthquakes can generate a tsunami (from Tsunamis in lakes)
Image 9Plate slips, causing subsidence and releasing energy into water. (from Tsunami)
Image 10Calculated travel time map for the 1964 Alaska tsunami (in hours) (from Tsunami)
Image 11Mast with warning system, and sign detailing escape routes, on the coast of Okumatsushima, Miyagi prefecture, Japan (this coast was severely hit by the 2011 tsunami) (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 12Tsunami Early Warning Tower board in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 13The energy released produces tsunami waves. (from Tsunami)
Image 14A seawall at Tsu, Mie Prefecture in Japan
Image 15Diagram showing several measures to describe a tsunami size, including height, inundation and run-up (from Tsunami)
Image 16Tsunami aftermath in Aceh, Indonesia, December 2004 (from Tsunami)
Image 17Lisbon earthquake and tsunami in November 1755 (from Tsunami)
Image 18An illustration of the rhythmic "drawback" of surface water associated with a wave. It follows that a very large drawback may herald the arrival of a very large wave. (from Tsunami)
Image 19When the wave enters shallow water, it slows down and its amplitude (height) increases. (from Tsunami)
Image 20Satellite image of Lake Kivu (from Tsunamis in lakes)
Image 21One of the deep water buoys used in the DART tsunami warning system (from Tsunami)
Image 22Japanese Tsunami warning sign (from Tsunami warning system)

Selected tsunami article

The 1792 Unzen landslide and tsunami resulted from the volcanic activities of Mount Unzen (in the Shimabara Peninsula of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan) on 21 May. This caused the collapse of the southern flank of the Mayuyama dome in front of Mount Unzen, resulting in a tremendous tsunami, killing 15,000 people altogether. It was also called Shimabara erupted, Higo affected (島原大変肥後迷惑), (Shimabara means the central mountain of the Shimabara Peninsula) since many people were killed by this tsunami in Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture, situated 20 km (12.4 mi) across the Ariake Sea). (Full article...)