Portal:Tsunamis

The Tsunami portal

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

A tsunami (/(t)suːˈnɑːmi, (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 Tsunami Benefit split CD single was released in 2005 on Century Media, featuring Napalm Death, The Haunted, and Heaven Shall Burn, with one song from each. It is limited to 1000 copies. "Strassenkampf" is a Die Skeptiker cover. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Events that can cause a tsunami

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...)

List of events articles
Earthquake Submarine earthquake Tsunami earthquake Landslide Glacier calving Meteorite impact

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General images

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

Image 1Tsunami aftermath in Aceh, Indonesia, December 2004 (from Tsunami)
Image 2Tsunami warning system in East Timor (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 3Lisbon earthquake and tsunami in November 1755 (from Tsunami)
Image 4Over-riding plate bulges under strain, causing tectonic uplift. (from Tsunami)
Image 5Calculated travel time map for the 1964 Alaska tsunami (in hours) (from Tsunami)
Image 6Evacuation route sign on the pavement in Kamakura, Japan (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 7Evacuation route sign in a low-lying coastal area on the West Coast of the United States (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 8Plate slips, causing subsidence and releasing energy into water. (from Tsunami)
Image 9Figure 1: Diagram showing how earthquakes can generate a tsunami. (from Tsunamis in lakes)
Image 10Drawing of tectonic plate boundary before earthquake (from Tsunami)
Image 11An illustration of the rhythmic "drawback" of surface water associated with a wave. It follows that a very large drawback may herald the arrival of a very large wave. (from Tsunami)
Image 12Mast with warning system, and sign detailing escape routes, on the coast of Okumatsushima, Miyagi prefecture, Japan (this coast was severely hit by the 2011 tsunami) (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 13The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Ao Nang, Krabi Province, Thailand (from Tsunami)
Image 14One of the deep water buoys used in the DART tsunami warning system (from Tsunami)
Image 15Satellite image of Lake Kivu (from Tsunamis in lakes)
Image 16A seawall at Tsu, Mie Prefecture in Japan
Image 17Japanese Tsunami warning sign (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 18Diagram showing several measures to describe a tsunami size, including height, inundation and run-up (from Tsunami)
Image 19When the wave enters shallow water, it slows down and its amplitude (height) increases. (from Tsunami)
Image 20The energy released produces tsunami waves. (from Tsunami)
Image 21Tsunami Early Warning Tower board in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka (from Tsunami warning system)
Image 22The wave further slows and amplifies as it hits land. Only the largest waves crest. (from Tsunami)

Selected tsunami article

The 1771 Great Yaeyama Tsunami (also called 明和の大津波, the Great Tsunami of Meiwa) was caused by the Yaeyama Great Earthquake at about 8 A.M. on April 24, 1771, south-southeast of Ishigaki Island, part of the former Ryūkyū Kingdom and now part of present-day Okinawa, Japan. According to records, 8,439 people were killed on Ishigaki Island and 2,548 on Miyako Island. (Full article...)

Selected tsunami articles

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)