Tsunami in Japanese means a large wave on the coastline that destroys the area. The waves are so powerful and it is one of the deadliest disasters on earth. It is important to understand how does tsunami happen because it is far different from normal waves that move because of winds.
The waves are high and fast which make them dangerous. The destruction can be in many levels of severity. The higher tsunami can reach farther areas on the coastline. People who live in this area should understand the signs and triggers, so they know what to do in critical situations.
The Reasons of How Does Tsunami Happen
Massive Earthquake Underwater
The most common cause of tsunami is the earthquake underwater. It only occurs in the area of The Ring of Fire. The tectonic plates are moving every year. However, a big-scale movement may displace the plate and it generates tsunami waves until the coastline.
The small-scale earthquake may not generate tsunami. So, tsunami does not always happen after an earthquake under the sea. Usually, an earthquake with a magnitude more than 7.0 could generate a tsunami. Authorities have the responsibility to warn people about the potential big waves.
Volcanic Eruptions
How does tsunami happen because of volcanic eruptions? The volcanoes may exist on the coast and under the sea, such as Krakatoa in Indonesia and the coastal area in Hawaii. They are active volcanoes which can trigger massive earthquakes when there are some eruptions.
This earthquake can trigger a tsunami. Thus, the materials from the eruption can go to the sea and displace some water to the coastline. The most devastating incident was in 1883 in Krakatoa. The tsunami reached Java Island in the West area where many people died because of the waves.
Coastal Landslides
The landslide in coastal areas may also trigger a tsunami. The material because of landslides such as huge rocks or ice can generate tsunamis when they fall into the water. They force the water to displace, so the area on the coastline may be destroyed because of the powerful waves.
However, this may occur in certain areas only such as Alaska and other coastline with high cliffs or ice. It does not have to be the area in The Ring of Fire. This change can be triggered by global warming as well when the ice melted or broken.
The Risks of Tsunami
Loss of Human Life
A powerful tsunami may kill many people in one sweep, which becomes the scariest risk. Since the water moves fast and strong, people do not have time to evacuate themselves to a safer place. Tsunami can kill thousands of lives in less than five minutes.
The current of the tsunami is always strong, so it can sweep everything, including the infrastructure. People can be drowning and getting injured because of these incidents. It happens fast and the incident in a larger area may make it harder to rescue everyone.
Infrastructure Damage
A tsunami can destroy the infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, buildings, homes, and the transportation system completely. This is why people should know how does tsunami happen, including the government. So, they can prepare the best way to mitigate tsunami mitigation.
When the damage is severe, it is harder to reach some areas. Emergency aids and evacuation may be slow because of this reason. Further hazards can occur as well because of poor water supply and black out. Large ships may only increase the level of damage.
Extreme Flooding
Another event that follows tsunamis is extreme flooding. It can spread to other cities. The risk of massive flooding is disease outbreaks. People who are not affected because of the tsunami can get this risk indirectly. It can increase the number of casualties in the tsunami aftermath.
Food and Water Shortages
When the area is fully damaged because water and food shortages are the risk that can increase the casualties. People may suffer from malnutrition and starvation, especially when the rescue efforts cannot reach them because of infrastructure damage.
Since a tsunami brings a lot of damage and risks, the government should prepare many strategies to decrease them. By using an SMS broadcaster device, people can get timely warning messages and information of how does tsunami happen. Find out more about the device here.
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