Concept in Definition ABC

Hyper-violent upheaval that occurs in the seabed and caused by an earthquake

One of the most significant natural catastrophes that exist due to the physical and material damage that it knows how to cause in its path is the tsunami and that consists of a hyper violent agitation that occurs in marine waters and is caused by an earthquake in the seabed submarine. Its consequences on the coast are certainly devastating, because it is precisely in this place where all the damage is concentrated.

Devastating action off the coast. The dramatic case of Indonesia in 2004

Although, as we pointed out, the tsunami is the extremely violent agitation of the underwater waters of the sea, the phenomenon is capable of extending to the coast and causing impressive floods., like the one that unfortunately we were able to contemplate a very short time ago, more precisely the December 26, 2004, in the continent Asian and which had its epicenter on the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia

, when a very violent earthquake occurred in the Ocean Indian, which caused the infinite flooding of a good part of the coastal populations, such as Indonesia and Thailand.

To give you an idea of ​​the scope and severity that this type of natural phenomenon presents, it is enough to just remember some figures from that unfortunate event that happened five years ago: 230 thousand people died, the shock registered a 9.3 in the scale Richter, a fact that made it almost a record, being the second largest earthquake since the seismograph was invented.

Earthquake at the bottom of the sea with vertical displacement

This alteration that we mention occurs from time to time at the bottom of the sea and is due, in general, to a earthquake that occurs right there and that generates the vertical displacement of water. This type, formally, is called as tectonic tidal wave.

The Pacific Ocean the most prone due to its characteristics

Any of the oceans of our planet can host a tidal wave, although the Pacific Ocean is the one that most prepared it is due to its physical characteristics on the margins, especially on the coasts of Chile, Japan and Peru.

In these places, as a consequence of familiarity with the phenomenon, there are protocols for emergency that population who lives in coastal areas should follow in case a considerable earthquake is felt, which of course, a tsunami can follow.

Large waves that will take all their virulence to the coasts

Other causes can be avalanches, volcano eruptions, explosions at the bottom of the sea. The violent movement of the water from the depths is capable of generating an effect that rises to the surface generating large waves that will carry all their virulence to the coasts.

Major erosive damage to the beach surface

The turbulence that the tsunami knows how to generate in its wake carries rocks and sand that will cause significant erosive damage to the beach surface and will modify the geography of the place for a long time.

New technologies that allow anticipation and other warnings

New technologies such as satellites allow us to anticipate in advance the presence of important changes in the waves, they measure the height, the volume and the velocity of the wave. However, there are also other signs that allow us to anticipate a tsunami, such is the case of an earthquake of long duration and great intensity; the abnormal retreat of the sea; and prolonged tremors of the earth. All this can be the prelude to a tsunami.

In addition, the tidal wave concept is used without much discrimination by the common people when they want to refer to the giant waves that occur at the behest of hurricanes or the very strong storms of winds and rains.

Tsunami, the name that gained more prominence

Although the word that is formally recognized to designate this rather abnormal event is tsunami, there is another very common name, tsunami, which is the word used in Japan to refer to the tsunami and that after the unfortunate event that we discussed, it became much more popular than the term d tsunami. Although, noting this impressive diffusion that the word found, surely, very soon, it will be integrated into the list that from time to time enlarges the Royal Spanish Academy.

Themes in Tsunami