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A tsunami is one of the earth's most magnificent and very bad natural phenomena. Forbidding, rapidly travelling, wavefronts that can destroy coastal settlements. To examine tsunamis fully, it is useful to begin with their definition, causes, history, and the deadliest tsunamis the world has witnessed.

What is a Tsunami?

Tsunami, one of the biggest waves on earth are vast masses of ocean waves made from water displaced from the geological activity that happened under the planet's surface. This is why, despite the name, tsunamis are not caused by tidal waves or by the regular movement of oceans. Instead, they result from swift and robust changes in the ocean body.

As these waves propagate rapidly per tens of thousands of kilometres of ocean at a speed that can exceed 800 km/h, they rise and can turn into that horrific wave that makes minced meat out of coastal communities.

Causes of Tsunamis

Geological events which are the most common source of tsunamis, are:

1. Underwater Earthquakes: Earthquakes occurring under the ocean floor are the top cause of a tsunamis. The movement of these tectonic plates very rapidly displaces or raises and lowers, a very large volume of water which creates the power of tsunami waves that penetrate the energy-sharing mutual and spiral across the surface, away from all angles. So, different earthquakes will generate different sizes of tsunamis according to how big the earthquake is and the amount of ocean floor that is displaced.

2. Volcanic Eruptions: Large underwater volcanic eruptions can also cause major water displacements. A volcano can also trigger landslides on the seafloor around it as it erupts, displacing water and generating waves.

3. Landslides: Another possibility is that a tsunami is also caused by landslides near the coast or underwater. When they consist of larger volumes of air, they displace enough water to generate waves

4. Meteorite Impacts: Collisions of massive meteorites or asteroids with large water bodies especially the ocean, although very rare, can potentially generate a tsunami wave due to the water displacement caused by the impact.

The History of Tsunamis

Tsunamis have taken place in the past, some of them very devastating and even altering the cause of human events, but the most terrible ones. A tsunami hit the Ancient Greek coastal regions going back as early as 426 BCE, which is regarded as one of the earliest tsunami events recorded in history. A tsunami that struck coastal regions of Greece was the effect of an undersea earthquake that transformed into a tsunami that hit southeast areas of Thera island (currently called Santorini).

The First Known Tsunami

So, the history of the earliest tsunami recordings is difficult to follow, but the earliest civilizations, involving Japan, have information approximately tsunamis as early as 2000 years back. The Japanese have long experience with tsunamis, and indeed the word tsunami itself appears to be a Japanese word for "harbour wave." The early historical writings and records of these civilizations suggest tsunamis have been a danger for millennia.

Most Devastating Tsunami Ever Witnessed

Among many events, if there are any about the waves, even remote, that we will have to talk about, it is the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Tsunamis are caused by many seismic events, but on one day, December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean Tsunami caused the largest tidal wave ever. The waves came at humongous speeds of 800 km/hr due to a spiralling earthquake formed near the Sumatran shores owing to tectonic collisions between Indo-Australian and Eurasian plate boundaries. The waves built up height as they neared the coasts of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and many more countries, some reaching 100 feet (30 m) high.

One of the 21st century's biggest natural calamities, this tsunami killed more than 230,000 people. Years of counselling and education about the great tsunami, paid off only for a few educated people since millions waited wherever they were located an hour or two before arriving in primary cities. To the whole barrage of information, the enduring phrases like devastating loss of life only meant one recommendation, Tsunami Warning System to be strengthened completely.

One more devastating tsunami struck in 2011, after the Tōhoku earthquake over the coast of Japan. The horrible casualty that day exceeded 25,000 worldwide which baffled the whole of society mainly concerning waves and water-related apprehensions changing the course and spectacle of disaster preparedness at the global level across all frontiers.

Consequences and Effects of a Tsunami

Tsunamis are not single waves they are a succession of waves that can last for hours and exceed a wave breaker. The waves can immerse a wide area of the coast, destroying critical infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods.

Apart from the clear devastation a tsunami creates, it is compounded by death, unavailability of potable water, and homelessness. Billions will be needed to reconstruct it, the human toll is beyond comprehension. Japan, Indonesia, and other Pacific countries, along with the United States, have started to prepare for tsunamis and other disasters.

Yet, with developments in technologies such as early warning systems and improved emergency evacuation strategies

Conclusion

Tsunamis: the harsh reminder of the Gods of Earth, the fragility of coastal civilizations. it displaces an enormous amount of water. One country that has been shadowed by its past of tsunamis, and thus there is no more appropriate example of the deadly truth of such waves than the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.Tragedies from tsunamis: Although we have made progress in terms of preparedness against such disasters, we are still in a continuous fight against the destruction by tsunamis and will never end our fight against tsunamis for the safety of the most vulnerable individuals and communities at greatest exposure from these natural hazards.