The text provides a detailed explanation of tsunamis, their formation and effects. It explains that tsunamis can grow to the size of a multi-story building and destroy everything in their path, killing thousands of lives. They are typically caused by seismic activity like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, or asteroid impacts. The term "tsunami" in Japanese means "wave in the harbor", suggesting that they were first recognized by fishermen.
A tsunami's speed and size can be devastating. In the open sea, a tsunami can reach lengths of 100 to 200 km, equivalent to thousands of times the size of ordinary waves. Their speed can be like that of a jet plane and they can reach incredible sizes on the coasts.
The text also explains the behavior of water before a tsunami, noting that it usually retreats from the coast due to the settlement of land at the site of the earthquake. However, this is not always the case and one should not rely solely on this signal. The most accurate information about threats will be provided by the Tsunami warning center.
The text also highlights that tsunamis can be caused not only by natural events but also by human actions. For example, the explosion of an atomic bomb over water, as happened in the middle of the 20th century, raised a wave that calmed down after breaking 300 meters or 984 feet.
The text concludes by noting that the biggest danger in terms of tsunamis is the Pacific Ocean area, known as the ring of fire. It also mentions that the deadliest tsunami occurred near the island of Sumatra in 2004, which hit 14 countries and claimed more than 200,000 lives.
1. Tsunamis can grow to the size of a multi-story building and destroy everything in their path, taking thousands of lives.
2. Tsunamis generally do not exceed 3.3 feet in the open sea, but their distance between crests can reach 100 to 200 km or 60 to 120 miles.
3. The speed of a tsunami is like that of a jet plane, and it's at least a thousand times greater than ordinary waves.
4. Tsunamis can be caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, land explosions, the collapse of rocks and glaciers, or asteroids impacting the water.
5. The main culprit in 88% of cases is seismic activity, which drives the energy of a tsunami.
6. Tsunamis pass through the water, not over it, so 95% of the cycle of life of a tsunami is invisible to the naked eye.
7. The speed of a tsunami can be 400 to 880 km per hour, or up to 1000 km per hour in some cases.
8. Before a tsunami, water usually retreats from the coast due to the settlement of land at the site of the earthquake.
9. The first wave of a tsunami clears the path, taking cars, trees, and properties with it. The second wave carries everything back, destroying buildings.
10. The largest tsunami of the world occurred in Alaska, with 90 million tons of rock and ice falling from the mountains.
11. Tsunamis can be caused by human activity, such as exploding an atomic bomb over water.
12. The rarest cause of a tsunami are asteroids with a diameter of more than 1 km or 0.62 miles falling into the water.
13. The deadliest tsunami was the one near the island of Sumatra in 2004, which hit 14 countries and claimed more than 200,000 lives.
14. The biggest danger in terms of tsunamis is the Pacific Ocean area, also known as the ring of fire.