Tsunamis

   The "tsu" in tsunami means harbor and the "nami" part

in tsunami means wave so together a tsunami is a harbor
wave. Tsunamis used to be called tidal waves, but this
term has fallen out of favor because tsunamis are not
related to tides. Tsunamis are caused by large
earthquakes at tectonic plate boundries. Also, eighty
percent of tsunamis happen within the "fire triangle" in the
Pacific Ocean. A tsunami can travel at speeds up to
500mph which means that it could move across the
Pacific Ocean in less than a day. Tsunamis reach about a
foot high in deep sea, but as they get closer to land they
rise.  Some of the biggest tsunamis can be over 100 feet
tall. 

                        A tsunami in the Pacific Ocean

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