TSUNAMI NEWS

What is a Tsunami?

Now-a-days we hear the term Tsunami frequently. What is it?
Tsunami or 'harbor wave' is a series of water waves (called a tsunami wave train) caused by the dislocation of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, but can occur in large lakes. These breathtaking waves are typically caused by large, undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries. When the ocean floor at a plate boundary rises or falls suddenly it displaces the water above it and launches the rolling waves that becomes a tsunami.
Tsunamis are common happenings in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. Owing to the huge volumes of water and the high energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions. Japan was hit 11th of March, 2011 by a massive earthquake. The earthquake measured 8.9 on Richter scale. The epicenter for Japan Earthquake was located 373 Kms away from Tokyo in Northern Japanese coast. The Japan Earthquake has resulted in heavy waves in the ocean and prompted as many as 19 countries to issue Tsunami Alert.
The number of casualties in the Japan Earthquake is not yet clear. Many countries are expected to be hit with Tsunami due to this Earthquake. So, countries have alerted their people by issuing Tsunami Alert.
Google did its own part by displaying the following quote on its homepage:
“Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.”
Measures are being taken to save people from the Tsunami.