Tsunami | MNN - Mother Nature Network

MNN.com > Tsunami

tsunami-eco-gloss

A tsunami (pronounced soo-NAH-mee) is a set of ocean waves that are most commonly generated by earthquakes in coastal regions. When an earthquake occurs, the vertical shifting of ocean and continental plates essentially stir up energy within the ocean and this results in the large or long-lasting waves we call tsunamis.

Tsunamis appear as rapidly advancing or receding tides or bores, which are giant walls of water. Unlike regular waves, tsunami waves do not break as they arrive on shore, and instead behave more like flood waves, rushing inland for a period of time before receding.

Predicting when a tsunami will happen is difficult, but once an earthquake occurs, scientists can map when and where a tsunami will arrive using deep-ocean data. This is useful in warning people who live inland on a tsunami’s path.

Source: NOAA.gov's Tsunami page

(Text: Noel Kirkpatrick)

Photo: Coco et Jo/Flickr

2 women take in the scene at a cemetery covered in debris from a building destroyed by a tsunami in Donggala, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

2 women take in the scene at a cemetery covered in debris from a building destroyed by a tsunami in Donggala, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Eruption adds to Indonesian island's pain

October 4, 2018, 1:31 p.m. by Ben Bolton

Sulawesi had already been hit by an earthquake and a tsunami.

A close-up picture of sea creatures swept across the Pacific Ocean

A close-up picture of sea creatures swept across the Pacific Ocean

Sea creatures from Japanese tsunami are just now arriving on Pacific coast

October 2, 2017, 12:32 p.m. by Noel Kirkpatrick

Once the 2011 tsunami rolled back into the ocean, it swept marine life as far away as California.

Nepal earthquake damage

Nepal earthquake damage

Earthquakes: Finding fault with nature

June 23, 2016, 12:59 p.m. by Russell McLendon

Here's a look at why such tremors happen and where the next one might strike.

Wild Boar, Fukushima, Japan

Wild Boar, Fukushima, Japan

Radioactive wild boars wreak havoc on Japanese farmland

April 20, 2016, 5:16 p.m. by Matt Hickman

Nuclear fallout has benefitted the beasts, considered as both tasty and fearsome in Japanese culture.

Podniesiński stands below a sign in Futaba touting the benefits of nuclear power

Podniesiński stands below a sign in Futaba touting the benefits of nuclear power

Stepping inside the nuclear red zones of Fukushima

October 1, 2015, 6:30 a.m. by Catie Leary

An eye-opening photo essay documents the haunting towns that were forcibly abandoned following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

An aerial view of damage to Sukuiso, Japan, a week after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the area in March, 2011

An aerial view of damage to Sukuiso, Japan, a week after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the area in March, 2011

2011 Japan tsunami unleashed ozone-destroying chemicals

April 6, 2015, 12:33 p.m. by Becky Oskin, LiveScience

Countries rarely account for greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere due to natural disasters when calculating their annual emissions.

A beach in Chennai, India is filled with debris, cars and carts following a massive tsunami that hit the region

A beach in Chennai, India is filled with debris, cars and carts following a massive tsunami that hit the region

What did we learn from Indian Ocean tsunami?

December 19, 2014, 6:03 p.m. by Gerri Miller

Two documentaries revisit the 2004 disaster and explore how science has advanced since then.

Hawaiian residents flee from a tsunami in 1946

Hawaiian residents flee from a tsunami in 1946

Evidence of 500-year-old monster tsunami found in Hawaiian sinkhole

October 23, 2014, 11:37 a.m. by Laura Geggel, LiveScience

The new study has led state officials to revise evacuation maps for some Hawaiian residents.

Tsunamiball: A handcrafted wooden vessel for riding out unlikely disasters

September 30, 2014, 7:19 p.m. by Matt Hickman

Meet Chris Robinson, an average California dad who just happens to be constructing a 22-foot-long tsunami escape pod out of plywood in his backyard.

A tidal marsh bank exposed during low tide on Sitkinak Island, Alaska

A tidal marsh bank exposed during low tide on Sitkinak Island, Alaska

New evidence for ancient Alaskan tsunamis found

May 9, 2014, 10:21 a.m. by Becky Oskin, LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet

Many tsunamis have flooded Alaska's southern islands and fjords in the past several thousand years.

Japan marks anniversary of the Fukushima disaster

March 11, 2014, 4:20 p.m. by Catie Leary

Japan reflects on the anniversary of the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Attractive Puget Sound home doubles as tsunami-resilient fortress

January 28, 2014, 8 p.m. by Matt Hickman

While its name might evoke scenes of Mother Nature at her most destructive, the cleverly designed Tsunami House on Camano Island, Wash. revolves around comfort, elegance and resilience.

The full moon in April is called the Pink Moon.

A guide to the full moons of 2019

Spring grass and allergy season

12 worst U.S. cities for allergy sufferers

Rose Stained Glass Window Saint Peter Paul Catholic Church Completed 1924 San Francisco California

10 breathtaking stained-glass windows