causes

A tsunami can be generated by four general ways: (1) an undersea

earthquake; (2) landslide; (3) volcanic erution; or (!) an e"traterrestrial
collision#
(1)An $ndersea %arthquake & is the most common form of tsunami formation'
tyically generating the most destructive tsunamis# (he earth is constantly
moving on large tectonic lates# )hen these tectonic lates move ast each
other' collide and*or slide under one another (subduction)' an earthquake
results# (his is what haened with the recent tsunami that devastated
+outhern Asia# ,ere' a massive earthquake in the -ndian .cean measuring
1/#/ on the 0ichter scale 1olted the seabed causing the sudden dislacement
of a very large volume of water
(2)2andslides 3 resulting in rockfalls' icefalls' or underwater (submarine)
landslides or slums can generate dislacement of water to create a
tsunami# 4ore often than naught' submarine landslides are often caused by
earthquakes' large and small' therefore strengthening the force of an
earthquake induced tsunami#
(3)5olcanic %rution & Although relatively infrequent' violent volcanic
erutions reresent also imulsive disturbances' which can dislace a great
volume of water and generate e"tremely destructive tsunami waves in the
immediate source area# 5olcanic disturbances can generate waves by the
sudden dislacement of water caused by a volcanic e"losion' by a volcano6s
sloe failure' or more likely by a hreatomagmatic e"losion and collase
and*or engulfment of the volcanic magmatic chambers#
(!)%"traterrestrial 7ollision 3 (sunamis caused by e"traterrestrial collision
(i#e# asteroids' meteors) are an e"tremely rare occurrence# Although no
meteor*asteroid induced tsunami have been recorded in recent history'
scientists reali8e that if these celestial bodies should strike the ocean' a
large volume of water would undoubtedly be dislaced to cause a tsunami#