Tsunami/Phase 1/Lesson1 3

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Wave energy and speed
! scope="col" | Tsunami waves have a lot of energy and travel much further than ordinary waves. Have a look at this animated model of the Chilean Tsunami (note: animation may take some time to load) to see how far the tsunami travelled from the earthquake location.
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On the open ocean, tsunami waves are small and not easily noticed by aircraft or ships because they appear more like ordinary waves on the sea surface. But when the waves enter shallow water they will rise in height and move faster. Some tsunami can be very large and can rapidly and violently swamp coastlines, such as a tsunami did to the island of Upolu (the most damaged island in Western Samoa in the 2009 Samoan Tsunami), causing loss of life and property damage. Other tsunami can be small, but are still dangerous to people and property near or in the coastal water.

For example, the tsunami that was generated by the earthquake in Chile (February 27 2010) travelled at hundreds of kilometres an hour all the way to New Zealand and beyond. Strong currents are also characteristic of tsunami waves, which means that even when the height of the water in a tsunami is not great, there is a lot happening beneath the surface that makes even the smallest tsunami dangerous.

It is important to remember that not all earthquakes will generate a tsunami, and that earthquakes are not the only sign of an impending tsunami. It is also important to remember that tsunami can occur at any season of the year and at any time, day or night.


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Discuss
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