Tsunami (pron: 'soo-nar-me') is a Japanese word; 'tsu' meaning harbour and 'nami' meaning wave.

The
phenomenon is usually associated with earthquakes, landslides or volcanic eruptions in, or adjacent to
oceans, and results in sudden movement of the water column. Until recently tsunami were called tidal
waves, even though the event has nothing to do with tides. A tsunami is different from a wind generated
surface wave on the ocean. The passage of a tsunami involves the movement of water from the surface
to the seafloor which means its speed is controlled by water depth. Consequently, as the wave
approaches land and reaches increasingly shallow water it slows. However, the water column still in
deeper water is moving slightly faster and catches up, resulting in the wave bunching up and becoming
much higher.

When a tsunami travels over a long and gradual slope, it allows time for the tsunami to grow in wave
height.

The shoaling effect can increase this wave height to a degree such that the tsunami could potentially
reach an onshore height of up to 30 metres above sea level

The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the
wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when
reaching shallow waters.

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was caused when the Indian Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate
and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian
Ocean, killing 230,000 people in 14 countries