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Tsunami Essay | Essay on Tsunami for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Sastry

Tsunami Essay: The term Tsunami comes from the Japanese language and means harbour wave. Tsunamis are seismic waves that are caused by earthquakes which travel through water. An earthquake that is too small to create a tsunami by itself may trigger an undersea landslide quite capable of generating a tsunami.

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Long and Short Essays on Tsunami for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Tsunami’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on Tsunami of 400-500 words. This long essay about Tsunami is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Tsunami of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Long Essay on Tsunami 500 Words in English

Below we have given a long essay on Tsunami of 500 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

Tsunami can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Such large vertical movements of the earth’s crust can occur at plate boundaries. Although often referred to as ‘tidal waves’, a tsunami does not look like the popular impression of ‘a normal wave only much bigger’. Instead, it looks rather like an endlessly onrushing tide which forces its way around and through any obstacle. Most of the damage is caused by the huge mass of water behind the initial wave front, as the height of the sea keeps rising fast and floods powerfully into the coastal areas. The sheer weight of water is enough to pulverise objects in its path, often reducing buildings to their foundations and scouring exposed ground to the bedrock. Large objects such as ships and boulders can be carried several miles inland before, a Tsunami subsides.

It is said that the Greek historian Thucydides proposed that Tsunamis had some relation to submarine earthquakes. However, the understanding of Tsunami’s nature and causes remained weak until the 20th century. Roman historian, Ammianus described the order of events giving rise to a Tsunami: an earthquake, sudden retreat of the sea followed by a gigantic wave. Japan has the longest recorded history of Tsunamis. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake cum Tsunami is marked as one of the most devastating in modern times, taking the death toll to around 2,30,000 people. The Sumatran region also experiences earthquakes off the coast regularly.

Recently, it has been discovered that larger Tsunamis than previously believed possible could be caused by landslides, explosive volcanic actions and Earth-scouring impact events. These phenomena rapidly displace large volumes of water, as energy from falling debris or expansion is transferred to the water into which the debris fall. Tsunamis caused by these mechanisms, unlike the ocean-wide tsunamis caused by some earthquakes, generally dissipate quickly and rarely affect coastlines distant from the source due to the small area of the sea affected.

Tsunamis move the entire depth of the ocean (often several kilometres deep) rather than just the surface, so they contain immense energy, propagate at high speeds and can travel great trans-oceanic distances with little overall energy loss. A Tsunami can cause damage thousands of kilometres from its origin, so there may be several hours between its creation and its impact on a coast, arriving long after the seismic wave generated by the originating event arrives.

In open water, Tsunamis have extremely long periods from minutes to hours, and long wavelengths of up to several hundred kilometres. This is very different from typical wind-generated swells on the ocean, which might have a period of about 10 seconds and a wavelength of 150 metres.

A few signs may be triggered by nature to warn a huge tsunami wave. An earthquake may be felt. Large quantities of gas may bubble to the water surface and make the sea look as if it is boiling. The water in the waves may be unusually hot. The water may sometimes smell of rotten eggs due to the presence of hydrogen sulphide or of petrol or oil. The water may sting the skin.

A thunderous boom may be heard followed by a roaring noise as of a jet plane, a helicopter, or a whistling sound. The sea may recede to a considerable distance.

A flash of red light might be seen near the horizon and as the wave approaches, the top of the wave may glow red. These signals have been recorded from time to time over the ages before every Tsunami tragedy. Oceanographers, scientists, geologists and environmentalists are working on making some kind of systems which can if not prevent atleast signal the impending Tsunami.

The Lisbon quake is the first documented case of such a phenomenon in Europe back in 1 755 which had generated an almost 12 metre high sea wave and had destroyed most part of the city killing around 60000 people. This phenomenon was also seen in Sri Lanka in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In 2011, the powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake sent Japan into chaos as it triggered a giant tsunami in the Pacific Ocean, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people, and led to the loss of more than 15000 lives in Japan.

In some particularly Tsunami-prone countries, measures have been taken to reduce the damage caused on the shores. Japan has implemented an extensive programme of building Tsunami walls of up to 4.5m (13.5 ft) high in front of populated coastal areas. Other localities have built floodgates and channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunamis. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as Tsunamis are often higher than the barriers.

For instance, the Tsunami which hit the island of Hokkaido on 12 July, 1993 created waves as much as 30 m (100 ft) tall – as high as a 10-storey building. The port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a Tsunami wall but the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area.

The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the Tsunami but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life.

Yet the effects of a Tsunami can be mitigated by natural factors such as tree cover on the shoreline. Some locations in the path of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami escaped almost unscathed as a result of the tsunami’s energy being sapped by a belt of trees such as coconut, palms and mangroves. In one striking example, the village of Naluvedapathy in India’s Tamil Nadu region suffered minimal damages and few deaths as the wave broke up on a forest of 80244 trees planted along the stretches of seacoasts that are prone to Tsunami risks.

While it would take some years for the trees to grow to a useful size, such plantations could offer a much cheaper and longer-lasting means of Tsunami mitigation than the costly and environmentally destructive method of erecting artificial barriers.

Short Essay on Tsunami 200 Words in English

Below we have given a short essay on Tsunami is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

Regions with a high risk of Tsunamis may use Tsunami warning systems now available to detect Tsunamis and warn the general populace before the waves reach the coasts. In some communities on the West coast of the United States, which is prone to Pacific Ocean Tsunamis, warning signs advise people where to run in the event of an incoming Tsunami. Computer models can roughly predict Tsunami arrival and impact based on information about the event that triggered it and the shape of the sea floor and the coastal landmass. One of the early warnings comes from nearby animals. Many animals sense danger and flee to higher ground before the water arrives. Monitoring their behaviour closely could provide advance warnings of earthquakes, Tsunamis etc.

In 2011, Earthquake Research Committee of Japanese Government announced that Tsunami forecasts would be started to alert the public in advance about the approaching Tsunamis in near future. This would comprise Tsunamic height, attack area and probability of occurrence within 100 years. Such forecasts should be soon activated in the Indian sub-continent also. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO is working out strategies for this area.

Coastal areas of India are sitting on a ‘Tsunami-bomb’. Awareness and robust measures are the needs of the hour.

Tsunami Essay Word Meanings for Simple Understanding

Seismic – pertaining to, of the nature of, or caused by an earthquake or vibration of the earth, Whether due to natural or artificial causes
Pulverise – to demolish or crush completely
Scouring – to clear or dig out (a channel, drain, etc) as by the force of water, by removing debris, etc
Wavelength – the distance, measured in the direction of propagation of a wave, between two successive points in the wave that are characterised by the same phase of oscillation
Recede – to go or move away, withdraw
Oceanographer – the branch of physical geography dealing with the ocean
Unscathed – not scathed, unharmed, uninjured
Dissipate – to use up or waste, to disperse
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What is a tsunami?

A tsunami is a series of waves caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions..

On September 29, 2009, a tsunami caused substantial damage and loss of life in American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga. The tsunami was generated by a large earthquake in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Did you know?

Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters. While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves.

More Information

Tsunami "Fast Draw" Animation

Tracking Tsunamis (Ocean Today Video)

National Weather Service TsunamiReady ™

NOAA Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART)

NOAA Tsunami Program

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Author: NOAA

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Essay on Tsunami

Students are often asked to write an essay on Tsunami in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Tsunami

What is a tsunami.

A tsunami is a series of powerful waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of water. This usually happens due to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides.

How Does a Tsunami Form?

When the sea floor abruptly deforms, it displaces the overlying water, triggering a tsunami. The waves travel across the ocean at high speeds.

Effects of a Tsunami

Tsunamis can cause mass destruction when they hit land. They can flood cities, destroy buildings, and take lives. It’s important to have early warning systems to minimize damage.

Understanding tsunamis helps us prepare and mitigate their harmful effects.

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250 Words Essay on Tsunami

Introduction.

Tsunamis, deriving from the Japanese words ‘tsu’ meaning harbor and ‘nami’ meaning wave, are a series of powerful water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water. They are known for their destructive power and unpredictability, posing a significant threat to coastal communities.

Causes of Tsunamis

Tsunamis are typically triggered by seismic activities beneath the ocean floor. These include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. The energy released during these events displaces the overlying water column, generating waves that can travel across oceans at high speeds.

Characteristics and Impact

Unlike regular waves, tsunami waves involve the movement of the entire water column from the sea surface to the seabed. This attribute contributes to their long wavelengths and high energy, enabling them to travel vast distances. Upon reaching shallow waters, their speed decreases, causing the wave height to increase dramatically, often resulting in widespread destruction when they hit land.

Prevention and Mitigation

While tsunamis cannot be prevented, their impact can be mitigated through early warning systems, coastal zone management, and community preparedness. Technological advancements have made it possible to detect seismic activities and issue timely alerts, thereby saving lives.

Tsunamis, while a fascinating natural phenomenon, are a stark reminder of nature’s power. Understanding their causes and characteristics is crucial in developing effective mitigation strategies, thereby reducing their devastating impacts on human lives and the environment.

500 Words Essay on Tsunami

Tsunamis, often referred to as seismic sea waves, are a series of ocean waves caused by any large-scale disturbance of the sea surface. These disturbances can include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides or even meteorite impacts in the ocean. Tsunamis are not regular sea waves but energy waves, often caused by seismic activities beneath the ocean floor. Their impact on human lives and the environment can be devastating, emphasizing the importance of understanding and predicting these natural disasters.

The Mechanics of a Tsunami

Tsunamis are initiated by a sudden displacement of the sea floor due to geological activities like earthquakes. This displacement results in a vertical shift of the overlying water column, creating a series of waves that radiate outwards from the point of origin. The speed of a tsunami is determined by the depth of water, with deeper waters facilitating faster wave speeds.

In the open ocean, these waves may be just a few centimeters high, but their wavelength, or the distance between successive crests, can span hundreds of kilometers. As these waves approach coastal areas, the shallowing sea floor compresses the wave energy, causing the wave to increase dramatically in height.

Impact and Consequences

The destructive power of a tsunami comes from the massive amount of water that it can move and the consequent flooding. When a tsunami reaches the shore, it can cause immense damage to structures, erode beaches and embankments, destroy vegetation, and severely impact both terrestrial and marine life.

The human toll can be equally devastating. Tsunamis can lead to loss of life, displacement of people, and economic damage. The aftermath of a tsunami often includes public health crises, with the spread of waterborne diseases and psychological trauma among survivors.

Unfortunately, tsunamis cannot be prevented as they are triggered by natural geological processes. However, their impact can be mitigated through early warning systems, community preparedness, and intelligent coastal management.

Tsunami early warning systems, comprising seismographs and sea level monitoring stations, can provide critical minutes to hours of warning. This allows people in the path of a tsunami to seek higher ground. Community preparedness involves education about tsunami risks, evacuation routes, and drills. Intelligent coastal management can include the construction of seawalls, planting of mangroves to absorb wave energy, and zoning laws to prevent construction in high-risk areas.

Tsunamis, while a fascinating demonstration of the power of nature, are a sobering reminder of our vulnerability to natural disasters. As our understanding of these phenomena grows, so too does our ability to protect ourselves and our communities. The implementation of early warning systems, public education, and intelligent coastal management are key components in reducing the devastating impact of these ocean giants. Through continued research and community resilience, we can mitigate the effects of tsunamis and safeguard our future against these powerful sea waves.

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