Tsunami Essay

Tsunami


A violent submarine volcanic eruption can create enough force to uplift the water and generate a tsunami. Generally, tsunamis formed by submarine landslides and volcanic eruptions dissipate quickly and rarely effect coastlines unlike the Pacific-wide tsunamis caused by earthquakes. Around the Pacific Ocean, denser oceanic plates slip under continental plates is a process known as subduction. Subduction earthquakes are particularly effective in creating tsunamis.Tsunamis differ from ordinary wind concentrated waves and are sometimes incorrectly called "tidal waves."

As tsunamis near the shoreline and shallow water, the speed decreases. The energy contained in the tsunami, which is dependent on both wave speed and height remains constant. These tsunamis have great erosion potential, stripping beach sand that may have taken years to accumulate, and destroy coastal vegetation. They are capable of flooding hundreds of meters inland past the typical high water level, and the fast moving water can crush homes and other coastal structure.

Through out history there have been numerous examples of the massive destruction caused by tsunamis. One tragedy occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1964. On March 27, Good Friday, a massive tsunami was formed after an earthquake measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale had taken place. The tsunami reached 40 feet in height and caused mass destruction that lead to the death of many of the Alaskan people. The destruction caused 107 deaths and 84 million dollars in damages.