From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Tsunami portal

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Ao Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand

A tsunami ( /(t)sˈnɑːmi, (t)sʊˈ-/ (t)soo-NAH-mee, (t)suu-; from Japanese: 津波, lit.'harbour wave', pronounced [tsɯnami]) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations, landslides, glacier calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances) above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. Unlike normal ocean waves, which are generated by wind, or tides, which are in turn generated by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, a tsunami is generated by the displacement of water from a large event.

Selected article

The Pacific Tsunami Museum is housed in a former First Hawaiian Bank building in downtown Hilo, Hawaii
The Pacific Tsunami Museum (originally, the Hilo Tsunami Museum) is a museum in Hilo, Hawaii dedicated to the history of the April 1, 1946 Pacific tsunami and the May 23, 1960 Chilean tsunami which devastated much of the east coast of the Big Island, especially Hilo. The museum also has a mission to educate people in general about tsunamis, including the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. It is located at 130 Kamehameha Avenue, at the intersection of Kamehameha and Kalakaua in downtown Hilo. ( Full article...)
List of selected articles

Events that can cause a tsunami

Scheme of a submarine eruption. 1 Water vapor cloud 2 Water 3 Stratum 4 Lava flow 5 Magma conduit 6 Magma chamber 7 Dike 8 Pillow lava
Submarine eruptions are volcano eruptions which take place beneath the surface of water. These occur at constructive margins, subduction zones and within tectonic plates due to hotspots. This eruption style is far more prevalent than subaerial activity. For example, it is believed that 70 to 80% of the Earth's magma output takes place at mid-ocean ridges. ( Full article...)

Related portals

Need help?

Do you have a question about Tsunamis that you can't find the answer to?

Consider asking it at the Wikipedia reference desk.

General images

The following are images from various tsunami-related articles on Wikipedia.

Selected tsunami article

Prehistoric tsunamis are tsunamis and so-called " megatsunamis" that occurred before recorded history. The events have been identified through oral tradition and/or geological evidence. Those events that have been identified through contemporary records are listed as historic tsunamis. ( Full article...)

In the news

3 April 2024 – 2024 Hualien earthquake
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes off the coast of Taiwan, prompting tsunami warnings for Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. A large section of the uninhabited Guishan Island collapses into the ocean. Nine people are killed in Taiwan, including four by rockfalls, with more than 930 others injured. (AP) (Al Jazeera)

Subcategories

Category puzzle
Category puzzle
Select [►] to view subcategories

Topics

Associated Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Discover Wikipedia using portals

Purge server cache