Page 5 - Microsoft PowerPoint - 12.3 TSUNAMI AND CYCLONE
P. 5
What happens during a tsunami?
1. Once the water is moved by an earthquake or other event, large waves like ripples
spread out from the point where the water first moved.
2. These waves can move quickly and for very long distances. Some tsunamis have been
known to travel for thousands of miles across the ocean and travel at speeds of up to
500 miles per hour.
3. As the waves travel through the deep parts of the ocean, their crest is usually short,
only a few feet tall. This makes it difficult to detect a tsunami as they are not
necessarily visible in the deep ocean.
4. When the waves approach land and shallow water, they pile up and grow in height.
5. At the coastline, a trough of the wave may appear. This will cause drawback to occur on
the shoreline. The water may recede for some distance. This can be dangerous as people
may be tempted to walk out into the open area.
