home

Tsunami WebQuest Tsunamis are the most powerful and destructive waves generated in the ocean. They can cross great distances at speeds of 650 to 800 kilometers per hour, losing very little energy as they move. While they may be only a meter high as they travel across the open ocean, tsunamis can become terrifyingly tall as they approach the coast. If the trough of a tsunami hits land first, the water is sucked away from harbors and beaches so rapidly that it leaves flopping fish and boats behind. The crest of the wave which eventually slams into the coast, usually within about fifteen minutes, can be between 10 and 30 meters tall, and can move much faster than a person can run. Water moving inland has the ability to uproot everything in its path. The retreating wave drags people, buildings, boats, vegetation, and even the sand from the beach out to sea. Researchers' best estimates suggest that more than 50,000 people were killed by tsunamis in the last century. Prior to the development of tsunami warning systems, these killer waves devastated unaware coastal populations, killing thousands who were oblivious to impending danger until it was too
 * Killer Waves Strike the Coast **
 * Introduction **