Get to higher ground!

A person that lives near the ocean in a

place like Hawaii would never want to hear those words. The
ocean is a place where many tsunamis occur. Tsunamis are
feared anywhere near an ocean because they are very destructive.
A tsunami is a series of giant sea waves. It has great speed,
height, and power. In the Pacific Ocean Basin tsunamis can travel
up to 600 mph. When a tsunami is near land its speed drops to
20-30 mph. Tsunamis can get big enough to hit two places, 3000
miles apart at the same time. Tsunamis can travel great distances
in little time and keep their speed and the power. The waves are a
lot faster in deeper water. A wave will multiply by three as it drops
in size. Tsunamis can get 100 miles over sea level. It can take
anywhere from five minutes to an hour for a full sized wave.
Tsunamis can change so quickly they can be undetected. A
tsunami cant be prevented; but it could be not a severe as
thought. In the deep ocean it could be only a couple inches.
Tsunamis are called seismic sea waves only when it is caused by
earthquakes. A tsunami can travel in all directions. In the ring of
fire an area in the Pacific Ocean where many earthquakes occur,

there are tectonic shifts so tsunamis are normal. There is a fault

line in the ring of fire. A fault line is a break in Earths crust that
makes earthquakes. A tsunami can cross the Pacific Ocean in one
day. 80% of the tsunamis that occur take place in the ring of fire.
They can also occur in large lakes.
The effects of a tsunami are very deadly. Some effects are
floods and great destruction. Tsunamis are big killers to people
that live on coasts. The common way people die from a tsunami is
by drowning. People can also get hurt by collapsing buildings.
After buildings and homes are destroyed, there are piles of debris
everywhere. Pets also get killed by tsunamis. Resources are
washed away leaving nothing but destroyed buildings and homes.
One odd effect is that the sound is so loud it rings in your ears and
you cant sleep. Another effect is contaminated water. One other
effect of tsunamis is deadly fires. A tsunami can kill thousands of
people.
The causes of tsunamis include many different things. One
cause is an underwater earthquake. The second cause is a
landslide. A landslide is when huge chunks of land break off and

slide into the mountains or into the water. Another cause is a

volcanic eruption. A volcanic eruption is when a volcano shoots off
boiling rock and lava. The final cause is asteroid impact. An
asteroid is a huge boulder that comes down from space.
Even though you cant prevent a tsunami, you can protect
yourself from getting hurt. In case of a tsunami or a tsunami
warning, you need to gather things needed to survive. Things you
will need are water and food. You need to leave when the tsunami
warning says to. Being prepared during a tsunami reduces fear.
Scientists have seismographs that detect tsunamis. The scientists
then can tell when the tsunami will hit the shore. There are 26
countries that have people in Hawaii that watch for tsunamis. The
best defense is an early warning. If you realize there is a tsunami,
you can save lives. Also, the tsunami isnt done after one wave
because there are more waves. A way to recognize a tsunami is if
a wave sucks up water showing the seafloor. Scientists can
determine when another tsunami will strike and the strength by
where it happened. Hawaii has the greatest risk of a tsunami.

A tsunami causes total destruction and death. These seismic

sea waves can get up to over 100 miles above sea level. A
tsunami is caused normally by tectonic plates shifting together;
and, BOOM, you get a tsunami. The most important thing to
remember during a tsunami is to keep calm and adhere to the
evacuation warning.