Tsunamis are very serious natural disasters. They are most common to areas around the Pacific Ocean. They are very extreme natural disasters. There are three main factors that occur during a tsunami –
- What causes a tsunami?
- What happens when a tsunami occurs?
- What safety can be taken to minimize disaster in a tsunami-prone area?
Firstly, most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes. Whenever tectonic plates under the seabed move, it causes unsteady water on the surface of the sea. When that happens, big waves form. These big waves get bigger and move faster as they move closer towards the shore. They can get up to 1 kilometer high in some cases. Tsunamis are also caused by undersea landslides, undersea volcanic eruptions, and (very rarely) asteroid impacts.
Secondly, tsunamis are extremely dangerous. They can cause a lot of trouble to a lot of people, especially those in the water, or close to the shore. These people can be killed or get injured and displaced.
Thirdly, people who live in tsunami prone areas (near the Pacific Ocean), should keep some distance from the shores. This is a good precaution from these fatal natural disasters. However, if you need to live in these coastal areas, you must stay alert for tsunami warnings. You should also know where an evacuation point is, and how to get to it. Some signs that everyone near the coastline of tsunami-prone countries should know are:
- Rapidly rising or falling coastal waters
- Rumblings of an offshore earthquake
These points should be known by everyone living near coastal areas. Residents, workers, and fishermen need to know these important signs.
Tsunami Alert Systems are also being used nowadays, to detect tsunamis from miles away. These systems use seismic measuring systems from all over the world, that alarm people from every earthquake or tsunami.
Author Bio –Daniel Mathias from Sarjah, UAE, a participant of International Essay Writing Competition, December.
