What's in a name?
Tsunamis are huge waves created by sudden movements in the ocean floor. They are usually caused by earthquakes, but can result from undersea volcanoes and landslides too.
The word tsunami means 'harbour wave'. It was first used by Japanese fishermen when they returned from fishing to find their harbours devastated by the sea. Tsunamis have also been called tidal waves, but this is incorrect as they have nothing to do with tides.
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A tsunami warning sign on a sea wall in Japan.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Jim Harper |
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