New Delhi, Nov 15: Tsunami wave is a known phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean region stretching from Chile in Latin America to Japan in far East Asia.
The waves are usually triggered by seismic disturbances -- coastal earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or undersea landslides -- that jolt the ocean floor.
Often, tremors displace ground surface, sending an entire column of water in motion outward from an earthquake region --often with disastrous results thousands of kilometres from their origin.
The difference between tsunami waves and tidal waves is that while the former hit only the harbours and coastal areas even as the other parts of the sea remain calm, the latter make the sea rough.
The result is a deep wave that reaches from the sea`s surface to the floor and travels horizontally at speeds up to 500 miles per hour and reaches heights between 50 and 100 feet.
The waves travel faster in deeper water and when it approaches shore, they rise further. It is the sharp elevation of the ocean floor near the coast that slows the bottom of the wave while the top keeps moving at the original speed.
Vast quantity of water is then piled up into a vertical wall that finally crashes over the shore with amazing force.
Bureau Report
