Laurissa+Rodgers

=Tsunamis! =

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=** What is a tsunami? **= bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically. The series of waves in a tsunami are called a wave train.**
 * A tsunami is a series of waves that happen after natural disasters. The top of the wave moves faster than the

= **Where they occur and what causes them?** = = = **Most tsunamis occur along the Pacific Coast or in the Pacific Ocean. About 80% of the tsunamis that occur, happen in the Pacific Ocean because of " The ring of fire". Hawaii is at the greatest risk for a tsunami because Hawaii is an island surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. They get one per year and a damaging tsunami about once every seven years. Alaska is also at high risk.Tsunamis are also fairly common in Japan. Some of the most destructive tsunamis have occurred along the west-coast of the U.S. because they all borderline or are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. Waves may travel as fast as 450 mph or as fast as a commercial jet plane** **. Underwater formations such as; reefs, bays, and river entrances may disperse the waves during a tsunami. The most common causes of tsunamis are volcanoes, earthquakes, or landslides. Though earthquakes can cause tsunamis, not all of them do. When landslides cause a tsunami it has the same effect as a pebble being thrown in a puddle. Tsunamis may also ** =media type="custom" key="5691043" align="right" = = = **all the way around Earth several times. That tsunami is also said to be what changed the form and shape of the continents.** = =
 * be caused by meteor impacts with the ocean or asteroid collisions. It is said that some 3.5 billion years ago the first meteor hit Earth causing a tsunami to go **

__Tsunami in Hawaii__ = =

= **Precaution/ safety-** =
 * **Stay alert for warnings**
 * **Know the warning of signs: rapid rising or falling of coastal water, or rumblings of an offshore earthquake.**
 * **Have an evacuation plan ready, and if there happens to be a tsunami review your evacuation plan with the family.**
 * **Do not stay near shore to watch the tsunami.**
 * **Do not return tot he area until authorities say it's safe.**
 * **Have enough emergency supplies for at least 3 days.**
 * **Know how to turn off your utility mains.**
 * **Before moving into an area, take precautions and be aware that tsunamis may occur there.**
 * **Keep life jackets at hand just in case.**
 * **Tsunamis are said to sound like a freight train**
 * ** Be ready to evacuate when needed to. **

= ** Death/Destruction/Aftermath ** **-** = = =   **All the destruction and the debris from the tsunami can be harmful to the environment. The way people clean the area up after a tsunami can also be harmful to the environment.One way that people think it the quickest and easiest way to get rid of the debris is to burn it all. This could pollute the environment because the things they are burning could have had spilled oil on it, other chemicals,or could just be plastic, which isn't supposed to be burned anyway.** **Burning these things could also be a public risk to the people living in the area, and may cause illnesses such as lung diseases or different types of cancer. When cleaning up debris, make sure how it's disposed of in the right place, and won't hurt the environment. Also make sure that there is a first-aid available at all times. Also wear gloves, face masks, or anything to protect your body that may cause it harm while cleaning up.** ** On Sunday, December 28, 2004 one of the worlds deadliest tsunamis occurred in ** **Indonesia, India, and the Maldive Islands. This tsunami killed nearly 40,000 people, and nearly one-third of those people were children.** **This tsunami was caused by a 9.0 earthquake, which was also classified as the deadliest earthquake since the sixties.**



**Random facts** Tsunamis are sometimes called tidal waves, yet have nothing to do with tides.Tsunami is a Japanese word.

__ **Citations** __
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090929-tsunami-warning-samoa-earthquake.html http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/floodCleanup.html http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/cleanupHazard.html http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/krisikka/ http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/tsunamiready/safety1.pdf http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tsunami-safety-tips.html http://library.thinkquest.org/10136/tsunami/tsuntq.htm http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/04/070402-tsunami.html http://www.allthingsscience.com/video/721/Ultimate-Tsunami--Honolulu-Hawaii http://www.metacafe.com/watch/154680/tsunami_in_malaysia/ http://www.democracynow.org/2004/12/28/tsunami_death_toll_tops_40_000