Tsunami's: One of the Deadliest Natural Disasters
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Danny Xu
2/15/20253 min read
What is a Tsunami?
A tsunami is a series of tall waves that sends a massive amount of water crashing onto land which leads to a very dangerous environment and a lot of destruction due to the force of the water as well as the flooding it results in. While deep in the ocean, Tsunami's are able to travel as fast as the speed of a jet, however, as it approaches land and as the water gets more shallow creating friction between the bottom of the wave and the ocean floor, these big waves slow down to about twenty to thirty miles per hour which is still decently fast. However, as a result of the wave getting slower, this friction makes the tsunami go through a process called "shoaling" which makes the wave grow significantly. This is because the energy from the speed of the wave as it conflicts with the ocean floor can't be destroyed but is instead, converted from kinetic to potential energy which focuses on the waves height (potential energy) rather than it's speed (kinetic energy). The tallest tsunami ever was in Alaska Lituya Bay, reaching about 1700 feet high.
How do Tsunami's Occur?
Tsunami's form due to natural events like earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions, and landslides that occur underwater. This causes a displacement in the ocean water and creates waves that are powerful enough to turn into a tsunami. Due to the fast pace that Tsunami's move at, there sometimes it not enough time to warn people that one is approaching to shore.
How to Tell a Tsunami Is Coming
Most of the time the water at the shore will pull back and much more of the shallow water's ground will be revealed. The reason this happens when a Tsunami is coming is because there needs to be a lot of water to help support the big wave coming in. If there is a huge rise in sea level as the water returns, then that is usually the first wave of the Tsunami, the next and bigger wave will arrive shortly after. As a Tsunami is coming it will also create a loud sound like a roar. The reason this happens is simply because of the sheer power of the wave and the air and energy it carries across the water. Also as mentioned, Tsunamis are created through natural events like underwater Earthquakes. If some kind of vibration is noticeable near the shore there could be a chance a Tsunami was formed. Lastly, bubbling water near the shore could be a sign that a
Tsunami is on the way.
What Kind of Damage Results From a Tsunami?
As mentioned before, due to the large amount of water coming into the land from the Tsunami, there is a lot of flooding especially for those close to the shore. The Tsunami's flooding is actually what results in the most deaths for people. Obviously, Tsunami's also result in a lot of property damage including houses, buildings, boats, roads, and trees.
Sources:
BRIGHT SIDE. 2020. “If You See Bubbling Water, Get Away from There Quickly.” YouTube. September 6, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKJcTChXBLY.
“Protective Actions Research.” 2021. Fema.gov. 2021. https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/Tsunami-Signs-and-Clues.
Geographic, National. 2018. “Tsunami Facts and Information.” National Geographic. National Geographic. October 3, 2018. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tsunamis.
Leal, Odee Ann. n.d. “What Tsunamies Are & What Causes Them | Brownsville, TX.” Www.brownsvilletx.gov. https://www.brownsvilletx.gov/301/What-Tsunamies-Are-What-Causes-Them.
“Tsunami Shoaling.” 2011. Science Learning Hub. Science Learning Hub. 2011. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/596-tsunami-shoaling.
“Tsunami | Shoaling Process, Shallow Waters and Energy Release Waters and Energy Release.” 2018. Sms-Tsunami-Warning.com. 2018. https://www.sms-tsunami-warning.com/pages/wave-shoaling-process.
NOAA. 2019. “What Is a Tsunami?” Noaa.gov. NOAA. November 13, 2019. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tsunami.html.