tsunami disaster essay

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  • Forecast & Warning

The Tsunami Story

Tsunami is a set of ocean waves caused by any large, abrupt disturbance of the sea-surface. If the disturbance is close to the coastline, local tsunamis can demolish coastal communities within minutes. A very large disturbance can cause local devastation AND export tsunami destruction thousands of miles away. The word tsunami is a Japanese word, represented by two characters: tsu, meaning, "harbor", and nami meaning, "wave". Tsunamis rank high on the scale of natural disasters. Since 1850 alone, tsunamis have been responsible for the loss of over 420,000 lives and billions of dollars of damage to coastal structures and habitats. Most of these casualties were caused by local tsunamis that occur about once per year somewhere in the world. For example, the December 26, 2004, tsunami killed about 130,000 people close to the earthquake and about 58,000 people on distant shores. Predicting when and where the next tsunami will strike is currently impossible. Once the tsunami is generated, forecasting tsunami arrival and impact is possible through modeling and measurement technologies.

Generation. Tsunamis are most commonly generated by earthquakes in marine and coastal regions. Major tsunamis are produced by large (greater than 7 on the Richer scale), shallow focus (< 30km depth in the earth) earthquakes associated with the movement of oceanic and continental plates. They frequently occur in the Pacific, where dense oceanic plates slide under the lighter continental plates. When these plates fracture they provide a vertical movement of the seafloor that allows a quick and efficient transfer of energy from the solid earth to the ocean (try the animation in Figure 1). When a powerful earthquake (magnitude 9.3) struck the coastal region of Indonesia in 2004, the movement of the seafloor produced a tsunami in excess of 30 meters (100 feet) along the adjacent coastline killing more than 240,000 people. From this source the tsunami radiated outward and within 2 hours had claimed 58,000 lives in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India.

Underwater landslides associated with smaller earthquakes are also capable of generating destructive tsunamis. The tsunami that devastated the northwestern coast of Papua New Guinea on July 17, 1998, was generated by an earthquake that registered 7.0 on the Richter scale that apparently triggered a large underwater landslide. Three waves measuring more than 7 meter high struck a 10-kilometer stretch of coastline within ten minutes of the earthquake/slump. Three coastal villages were swept completely clean by the deadly attack leaving nothing but sand and 2,200 people dead. Other large-scale disturbances of the sea -surface that can generate tsunamis are explosive volcanoes and asteroid impacts. The eruption of the volcano Krakatoa in the East Indies on Aug. 27, 1883 produced a 30-meter tsunami that killed over 36,000 people. In 1997, scientists discovered evidence of a 4km diameter asteroid that landed offshore of Chile approximately 2 million years ago that produced a huge tsunami that swept over portions of South America and Antarctica.

Figure 1. Click to see and animation of a tsunami generated by an earthquake.

Wave Propagation. Because earth movements associated with large earthquakes are thousand of square kilometers in area, any vertical movement of the seafloor immediately changes the sea-surface. The resulting tsunami propagates as a set of waves whose energy is concentrated at wavelengths corresponding to the earth movements (~100 km), at wave heights determined by vertical displacement (~1m), and at wave directions determined by the adjacent coastline geometry. Because each earthquake is unique, every tsunami has unique wavelengths, wave heights, and directionality (Figure 2 shows the propagation of the December 24, 2004 Sumatra tsunami.) From a tsunami warning perspective, this makes the problem of forecasting tsunamis in real time daunting.

Warning Systems. Since 1946, the tsunami warning system has provided warnings of potential tsunami danger in the pacific basin by monitoring earthquake activity and the passage of tsunami waves at tide gauges. However, neither seismometers nor coastal tide gauges provide data that allow accurate prediction of the impact of a tsunami at a particular coastal location. Monitoring earthquakes gives a good estimate of the potential for tsunami generation, based on earthquake size and location, but gives no direct information about the tsunami itself. Tide gauges in harbors provide direct measurements of the tsunami, but the tsunami is significantly altered by local bathymetry and harbor shapes, which severely limits their use in forecasting tsunami impact at other locations. Partly because of these data limitations, 15 of 20 tsunami warnings issued since 1946 were considered false alarms because the tsunami that arrived was too weak to cause damage.

Figure 2. Click to see the propagation of the December 24, 2004 Sumatra tsunami.

Forecasting impacts. Recently developed real-time, deep ocean tsunami detectors (Figure 3) will provide the data necessary to make tsunami forecasts. The November 17, 2003, Rat Is. tsunami in Alaska provided the most comprehensive test for the forecast methodology. The Mw 7.8 earthquake on the shelf near Rat Islands, Alaska, generated a tsunami that was detected by three tsunameters located along the Aleutian Trench-the first tsunami detection by the newly developed real-time tsunameter system. These real-time data combined with the model database (Figure 4) were then used to produce the real-time model tsunami forecast. For the first time, tsunami model predictions were obtained during the tsunami propagation, before the waves had reached many coastlines. The initial offshore forecast was obtained immediately after preliminary earthquake parameters (location and magnitude Ms = 7.5) became available from the West Coast/Alaska TWC (about 15-20 minutes after the earthquake). The model estimates provided expected tsunami time series at tsunameter locations. When the closest tsunameter recorded the first tsunami wave, about 80 minutes after the tsunami, the model predictions were compared with the deep-ocean data and the updated forecast was adjusted immediately. These offshore model scenarios were then used as input for the high-resolution inundation model for Hilo Bay. The model computed tsunami dynamics on several nested grids, with the highest spatial resolution of 30 meters inside the Hilo Bay (Figure 5). None of the tsunamis produced inundation at Hilo, but all of them recorded nearly half a meter (peak-to-trough) signal at Hilo gage. Model forecast predictions for this tide gage are compared with observed data in Figure 5. The comparison demonstrates that amplitudes, arrival time and periods of several first waves of the tsunami wave train were correctly forecasted. More tests are required to ensure that the inundation forecast will work for every likely-to-occur tsunami. When implemented, such forecast will be obtained even faster and would provide enough lead time for potential evacuation or warning cancellation for Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast.

Reduction of impact. The recent development of real-time deep ocean tsunami detectors and tsunami inundation models has given coastal communities the tools they need to reduce the impact of future tsunamis. If these tools are used in conjunction with a continuing educational program at the community level, at least 25% of the tsunami related deaths might be averted. By contrasting the casualties from the 1993 Sea of Japan tsunami with that of the 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami, we can conclude that these tools work. For the Aonae, Japan case about 15% of the population at risk died from a tsunami that struck within 10 minutes of the earthquake because the population was educated about tsunamis, evacuation plans had been developed, and a warning was issued. For the Warapa, Papua New Guinea case about 40% of the at risk population died from a tsunami that arrived within 15 minutes of the earthquake because the population was not educated, no evacuation plan was available, and no warning system existed.

Eddie N. Bernard

References:

Bernard, E.N. (1998): Program aims to reduce impact of tsunamis on Pacific states. Eos Trans. AGU, 79(22), 258, 262-263.

Bernard, E.N. (1999): Tsunami. Natural Disaster Management, Tudor Rose, Leicester, England, 58-60.

Synolakis, C., P. Liu, G. Carrier, H. Yeh, Tsunamigenic Sea-Floor Deformations, Science, 278, 598-600, 1997.

Dudley, Walter C., and Min Lee (1998): Tsunami! Second Edition, University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.

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Essay On Tsunami – 10 Lines, Short & Long Essay For Children

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Key Points To Remember: Essay On Tsunami For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on tsunami for kids, a paragraph on tsunami in english for children, short essay on tsunami for kids, long essay on tsunami for children, what will your child learn from this essay, interesting facts about tsunami for kids.

The word ‘Tsunami’ is of Japanese origin, which means harbour wave. A tsunami is the repetition of long-wavelength water waves triggered due to quakes and volcanic eruptions in ocean beds. If the earthquake fails to cause a tsunami inside the ocean, it will mostly cause a landslide. This tsunami essay for classes 1, 2 and 3 will help your child learn about new things. A tsunami essay in English will also improve ability to convert thoughts into words, positively impacting communication and vocabulary.

A topic like tsunami isn’t a very easy topic to write about. Children might need the assistance of parents or teachers to write about tsunamis. Here are a few key points to remember when writing a composition on tsunami for lower primary classes:

  • Use videos or pictures while explaining tsunamis to kids. Visual aids help in better memorisation.
  • Keep the content crisp and clear. A tsunami is a phenomenon that involves geographical terms. So, keep in mind to use simple language.
  • Encourage your child to write their essay independently once the basics are covered.

What is a tsunami? How does it occur, and what is its impact? Get answers to these questions from the essay for class 1 and 2 kids on tsunamis. Mentioned below are a few lines on tsunami:

  • Tsunamis are natural disasters that cause harm to the environment.
  • It happens due to an earthquake underwater.
  • These occur unexpectedly.
  • Volcanic eruptions, plate shifting, the sinking of the earth, etc., are other reasons for tsunamis.
  • The term tsunami means harbour waves.
  • It has a series of waves with a high wavelength, capable of serious damage.
  • The waves created in seas and oceans move towards the land and destroy buildings, homes, forests, etc.
  • Landslides also lead to tsunamis.
  • Most tsunamis often happen in the Pacific ocean.
  • India experienced a similarly destructive Tsunami in 2004.

Do you want to read a short paragraph on tsunamis for children? Then, you are at the right place. Given below is a template for reference:

A tsunami is a series of waves of high wavelengths that cause water to move toward the land. It happens due to earthquakes whose main point is in the water/ocean. Greeks were the first to notice the effects of tsunamis. Sudden volcanic eruptions in the ocean beds, the sinking of the earth, etc., are the other major reasons for tsunamis. Like any other natural calamity, it causes widespread damage to human lives, buildings and trees. Underwater explosions can lead to tsunamis as well. The Pacific Ocean is known to be the hub of tsunamis. Ports and harbours get affected badly by tsunamis.

Looking for a simple-written short essay for classes 1,2 and 3 on tsunamis for kids to understand? Well, search no further. Given below is the template for the same:

A tsunami is defined as a series of waves of high wavelengths that cause water to move toward the land. It happens due to earthquakes whose main point is in the water. Greeks were the first to study the effects of tsunamis, and the only difference between earthquakes and tsunamis is that the latter happens in water. Tsunamis are called seismic waves. We should know that all seismic waves are tsunamis, but earthquakes are not the sole cause of all tsunamis. It also occurs due to sudden volcanic eruptions in the ocean beds, the sinking of the earth, etc. Like any other natural calamity, it causes widespread damage to human lives, public and private properties, and forests. Underwater explosions can lead to tsunamis as well. The Pacific Ocean is known to be the hub of tsunamis. During tsunamis, marine life is also get affected.

Natural calamities like tsunamis occur due to various reasons and cause damage to living and non-living. Here is an essay for class 3 kids on the causes, impacts and history of tsunamis.

History of Tsunami

According to legend, the Greek historian Thucydides suggested that there might be a connection between undersea earthquakes and tsunamis. But until the 20th century, knowledge of the causes and nature of tsunamis was limited. Ammianus, a Roman historian, characterised the sequence of events leading up to a tsunami as an earthquake, a quick retreat of the sea, and then a massive wave. The highest ever tsunami took place in a bay along the coasts of Alaska on July 9th, 1958.

What are the Causes and Effects of Tsunami?

Causes of Tsunami 

  • Earthquakes and Landslides:  Shifts in tectonic plates cause earthquakes, and when the main point is in the water, a tsunami is triggered. Sometimes landslides induced by earthquakes lead to these tidal waves.
  • Volcanic Eruptions in Sea Beds:  Volcanic eruptions in sea beds are another cause of these high wavelength waves.
  • The Sinking of The Earth:  Changes in the earth’s crust or interiors often lead to the sinking of the earth, and this sudden shift can trigger a tsunami.
  • Underwater Explosions:  Incidents like meteor collisions with the earth, or chunks of ice breaking off from glaciers lead to underwater explosions.

Effects of Tsunami

  • Boats and Ships Sink:  The crashing of such high waves causes widespread damage to boats and ships off the coast.
  • It Ruins Buildings, Trees and Houses:  Since the water moves towards the land and is of high velocity, it can destroy homes, uproot trees and displace vehicles.
  • Causes:  As in the case of any natural calamity, a tsunami also takes a toll on people’s lives.

How Can Tsunami Be Prevented?

The effects of a tsunami can be reduced by avoiding inundation areas, slowing down water by building ditches, slopes, etc. and steering water to strategically placed walls or structures. An alert well ahead of time can also reduce the damage percentage.

How To Prepare for a Tsunami Disaster?

  • To escape a tsunami, go 100 feet above sea level or 2 miles away.
  • Often there are weather reports and cautionary warnings for a tsunami. Please take care to follow them.
  • Every foot inland or upward is sure to make a difference!
  • If you can see the wave, you are too close for safety!

Your child will learn about the causes, history and effects of natural disasters such as tsunamis. They will also understand essay writing and its ways better.

  • The word tsunami means harbour wave in Japanese.
  • The Pacific Ocean is the hub of tsunamis.
  • The first wave of a tsunami is never the biggest.
  • The series of waves generated by a tsunami is called a wave train.
  • Often called tidal waves, tsunamis are not related to ocean tides.

What is the Difference Between Earthquake and Tsunami?

The major difference between an earthquake and a tsunami is that tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes whose main point is in the oceans or seas. And earthquakes happen on the land.

Topics like composition on tsunamis create awareness about natural calamities and the damage these can cause to humans. Teach your child about possible effects and help them learn new things.

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  • Paragraph Writing
  • Paragraph On Tsunami

Paragraph on Tsunami - Check Samples for 100, 150, 200, 250 Words

A tsunami is a kind of natural disaster which is caused due to volcanic eruptions in the ocean beds. Tsunamis are natural occurrences in which a series of powerful waves cause a surge in water that can reach heights of several metres. There are various other reasons that can cause a tsunami which is equally hazardous to people as other natural disasters.

Table of Contents

Paragraph on tsunami in 100 words, paragraph on tsunami in 150 words, paragraph on tsunami in 200 words, paragraph on tsunami in 250 words, frequently asked questions on tsunami.

Tsunamis are caused due to various reasons. There are many factors that can lead to tsunamis and cause harm to humankind. Before writing a paragraph on tsunamis, check the samples provided below.

Tsunamis are caused majorly due to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes that occur under the ocean. There are various factors that cause tsunamis, like the sinking of the earth, explosives, etc. Tsunamis occur primarily in areas where two continents meet. Tsunamis also happen due to volcanic eruptions under the ocean beds. The Pacific Ocean is well-known for the frequent occurrence of tsunamis. Tsunamis cause a lot of damage to the environment. It destroys buildings, forests, livelihood, etc. Since it is a sudden event, no one can anticipate its occurrence.

Tsunamis are natural disasters that are destructive to the environment. It is caused due to an earthquake underwater. Just like earthquakes are unpredictable, tsunamis occur suddenly, and no one can anticipate their occurrence. There can be various reasons for a tsunami to occur, like the sinking of the earth, explosives, etc. Tsunamis occur primarily in areas where two continents meet. It is known that the Pacific Ocean is a hub of tsunamis. Tsunamis also happen due to volcanic eruptions under the ocean beds. Tsunami is a term that refers to tidal waves. Therefore, a tsunami is defined as a sequence of ocean waves with a very long wavelength. Due to the tsunami, strong waves of water are created and move landwards. As a result, there is a large inland water movement that lasts for a long time. As a result, these waves have significant destructive power. Like other natural disasters, tsunamis also bring great destruction to the environment. It brings losses to livelihood, property, forests, etc.

A sudden movement under the sea beds causes tsunamis. It is an earthquake inside the sea or ocean. The Pacific Ocean is known to be a hotspot of tsunamis. Other than earthquakes, there are other reasons for tsunamis to occur. One of the major reasons is volcanic eruptions under the sea beds. Other reasons for the occurrence of tsunamis are the sinking of the earth, explosives, etc. These natural disasters occur primarily in areas where two continents meet. A tsunami is a term that refers to tidal waves. Therefore, a tsunami is defined as a sequence of ocean waves with a very long wavelength. Due to the tsunami, strong waves of water are created and move landwards. As a result, there is a large inland water movement that lasts for a long time. As a result, these waves have significant destructive power. Like any other natural disaster, tsunamis bring massive destruction to the environment. When a tsunami strikes, the sea waves reach a speed of 420 kilometres per hour. Beaches are ruined, trees and plants are broken, and human settlements, residences, buildings, and ports are demolished due to the tsunami.

The term “tsunami” refers to tidal waves. As a result, a tsunami is characterised as a series of extraordinarily long-wavelength ocean waves. Strong waves of water are formed by the tsunami and move landward. As a result, there is a massive and long-lasting inland water movement. As a result, these waves have considerable destructive power. Tsunamis are caused by abrupt movement beneath the seabed. It’s an earthquake that occurs deep within the water or ocean. The Pacific Ocean is known to be a hotspot of tsunamis. Tsunamis can develop for a variety of reasons other than earthquakes. Volcanic explosions beneath the seabed are one of the leading causes. Tsunamis can also be caused by the earth sinking, the explosion of bombs, and other factors. Tsunamis are especially common in locations where two continents meet. Tsunamis cause strong water waves to move towards the ground. The Greeks were the first people on the planet to assert that tsunamis had occurred. As per the Greeks, a tsunami is a ground quake. Tsunamis and earthquakes are only distinguished by the fact that tsunamis occur in the oceans. As a result, controlling the size and spread of tsunamis is nearly impossible. Tsunamis, like every other natural calamity, wreak havoc on the environment. The sea waves reach a speed of 420 kilometres per hour when a tsunami strikes. Due to tsunamis in seas or oceans, beaches are wrecked, trees and plants are washed away, and human settlements, dwellings, buildings, and ports are destroyed.

What is meant by a tsunami?

A tsunami is a strong and abrupt movement inside the water, causing destruction to the environment. It is a kind of natural disaster which is similar to earthquakes. It occurs inside the water causing strong tidal waves.

How are earthquakes different from tsunamis?

Earthquakes are strong and sudden movements on land, but tsunamis are caused by earthquakes inside the seas or oceans.

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Tsunami Essay

Giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions in the sea are known as tsunamis . The height of tsunami waves does not substantially rise as they approach the ocean's depths. However, as the waves move inland, the ocean's depth declines, causing them to rise to ever-higher heights. Although tsunamis majorly affect only coastal areas, they have a tremendous amount of destructive power and can have an impact on entire ocean basins. Here are a few sample essays on "Tsunami".

Tsunami Essay

100 Words Essay On Tsunami

The first people to declare the existence of tsunamis were the Greeks. The Greeks considered a tsunami to be a ground quake. The only thing that separates tsunamis from earthquakes is that tsunamis happen in the ocean. Consequently, it is very difficult to limit the magnitude and spread of tsunamis. The ecology suffers significantly as a result of tsunamis. Buildings, ecosystems, livelihoods, and other things are destroyed.

Underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions play a crucial role in the development of tsunamis. Tsunamis are caused by various sources, including ground sinking, explosives, etc. Volcanic eruptions beneath the ocean's surface also cause tsunamis to occur. It is commonly known that tsunamis frequently happen in the Pacific Ocean.

200 Words Essay On Tsunami

The word "tsunami," meaning "harbour wave," is of Japanese origin. A tsunami is a series of lengthy water waves that are caused by ocean floor tremors and volcanic eruptions. A landslide will be the primary effect of the earthquake, barring any failure to produce a tsunami on the inside of the seas.

Warning Signs About Tsunamis

The ecology is destroyed by tsunamis , just like any other natural disaster. When a tsunami hits, the ocean waves accelerate to 420 km/h. There are warning signs advising individuals to get away if a tsunami is approaching in several places along the western coastline of the United States, which is vulnerable to tsunamis from the Pacific Ocean.

Based on details about the event that caused the tsunami, the topography of the sea floor, and the coastal landmass, computer simulations can roughly forecast the tsunami's arrival and damage.

Signals By Animals | Animals in the neighbourhood provide one of the first warnings. Before the flood comes, a lot of creatures recognise danger and seek higher ground. Marine life is impacted by tsunamis as well. The ability to predict earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters could be achieved by closely observing their behaviour.

Tsunami Warning Systems | The public can now be alerted to tsunamis before they reach the coasts in areas with a high risk of flooding by using the tsunami warning systems that are available nowadays.

500 Words Essay On Tsunami

A tsunami is a natural disaster that originates under water and is brought on by the waves that an earthquake causes to be generated in the ocean. The tsunami's impacts were initially reported by Greeks on Earth. They claim that earthquakes on land and tsunamis are identical. The sole distinction between a tsunami and an earthquake is that a tsunami results from an oceanic event. Because of this, it is practically impossible to manage the height and intensity of the tsunami.

Tsunami In India

In 2004, India suffered from a terrible tsunami. The tsunami's source was, though, close to Indonesia. It was estimated that 2 lakh people died due to the tsunami. The waves covered thousands of kilometres in places like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and the Maldives.

In the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis dominate. They are likely to occur in a region with more massive bodies. A tsunami may be aided in its progression into a step-like wave by open bays and coastlines near extremely deep oceans.

Controlling Destruction

Here are some steps that can be taken by the government to prevent Tsunami and especially the destruction it brings:-

Infrastructure | Government expenditures can go toward developing infrastructure that is robust, highly secure, and capable of withstanding a tsunami's impact. The height should be sufficient to prevent the tsunami's upper wave from conquering it. A tsunami-prone area can be protected from intensive development and habitational activity.

Warning Systems | The local government can install a quick and effective early warning system. This would assist in raising everyone's level of alertness. By doing so, it might be possible to reduce the loss of human life by getting more people to migrate or escape dangerous locations.

Awareness | It is vitally important to inform people about the effects of tsunamis and their potential consequences. They must be instructed on recognising and understanding the early tsunami warning signs. Under challenging circumstances, they must learn to stay fully prepared rather than panic and anxiously rush around.

Afforestation | Another alternative is to plant trees that can absorb the force of tidal waves, like mangroves, along the coast and its borders. These may lessen a tsunami's effects and limit the devastation they create.

My Experience Of Mock Drills

I remember mock drills were conducted in my school and high school as they were located near the coast of the Arabian sea. These mock drills were conducted to prepare the students for any emergency circumstances like tsunamis, earthquakes and fire disasters. We were taught how to escape in a planned manner which does not create a problematic situation. We were strictly instructed not to use lifts in such a scenario. During heavy rains, school was kept off since Tsunami is more likely to strike during rains.

Tsunamis are less common than other types of natural disasters. However, they may still cause significant damage. A tsunami's most severe consequence is the massive number of deaths. As a result, individuals have little time to flee or escape a tsunami's immediate, nearly silent impact. Tsunamis significantly harm the environment in addition to bringing severe degradation. Marine life suffers extreme damage.

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Essay on Tsunami for Students in English | 500+ Words Essay

January 1, 2021 by Sandeep

Essay on Tsunami: A sudden, unexpected series of ocean waves of high risen wavelengths are called tsunami waves. They are strong currents of water waves that rush through inland spaces, flood nearby areas and last for a long time. They are seismic waves that trigger landslide undersea and force themselves through any obstacle on their way. Large volumes of water are displaced at great transoceanic distances at high speeds.

Essay on Tsunami 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Tsunami Essay in English, suitable for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

A tsunami is a series of fierce waves generated by the displacement of water. They occur in substantial water bodies due to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions. Tsunamis are also oftenly referred to as tidal waves. The waves are very high in magnitude as well as their length, and they can be immensely destructive.

Japan is the country which has recorded the most significant number of tsunamis. The tsunami generated in the Indian Ocean in the year 2004 is still considered as the most upsetting tsunami taking more than two hundred thousand lives. Tsunamis are quite rare in occurrence as compared to other natural disasters , but they are equally damaging.

Causes of Tsunami

The leading cause of a tsunami is attributable to an earthquake . However, even volcanic eruptions, landslides and comets or other heavenly bodies hitting the sea can be a source. When the tectonic plates of the earth positioned under the sea are disturbed, an earthquake takes place, causing the seawater to displace and erupt in sudden waves. These waves move further and further towards the shores. They can go unnoticed in the deep ocean but become more prominent as the water becomes shallow.

Landslides are another prominent cause of a tsunami. When heavy debris falls without warning with massive force into the sea, it causes a tremendous ripple effect. This ripple effect thus, causes tidal waves to form, which ultimately rise towards the land and cause massive destruction. During the eruption of a volcano on land, debris falls with a great thrust into the water body, causing the same ripple effect. Volcanoes can be underwater as well. They are known as submarine volcanoes. Tsunamis can further occur as a result of meteorological activity and human-made triggers.

Effects of Tsunami

When water washes away the shores with such colossal force, it damages the sewage system and freshwater. It also causes water fit for drinking to erode and contaminate. Because of the water being stagnant and polluted, numerous diseases like malaria affect a large number of people. They become ill, and infections spread quickly. A tsunami may even destroy nuclear plants which result in emittance of harmful radiations. These radiations are fatal to the health of every living organism. Mass evacuations become necessary in areas exposed to radiations because they can result in cancer, death and can even affect the DNA structures.

The saddest effect of a tsunami is the loss of lives in huge numbers. Tsunamis hit suddenly, with almost no warning and hence people get no time to escape it or run away. They drown, collapse, are electrocuted, etc. Tsunamis not only cause massive destruction of life but also degrade the environment in a gigantic way. It uproots trees and destroys pipelines which lead to the release of dioxides, raw sewage and other pollutants into the atmosphere. When these hazardous pollutants are washed into the sea, they also cause unbearable damage to the aquatic underwater life.

When the waves of a powerful tsunami smash the shores, they destroy trees, cars, buildings, telephone lines, pipelines and other man-made equipment into bits and pieces. Poverty rises in areas which get most affected by the wrath of tsunamis. The governments are also able to do little for their betterment immediately due to the high funding requirement and expenses.

Prevention of Tsunami

The government can invest in building strong and high protective infrastructure which can withstand the force of a tsunami. The length should be so tall, that the most upper wave of the tsunami cannot over top it. Also, heavy construction and livelihood activities in tsunami-prone areas can be avoided. The local authorities can install an efficient and fast early warning system. This would help to get all the people on alert. This way, more and more people would evacuate or leave the areas of danger, and human life destruction could be minimised.

Educating people and making them aware of the effects and impact of a tsunami is exceptionally crucial. They should be taught about the early warning signals of a tsunami and how to identify them. They should also learn how to be fully prepared in tough times like these instead of panicking and rapidly running around. Planting the coastal regions and boundaries with trees such as Mangroves which can absorb tidal wave energy can be another option. These can help to reduce the impact of a tsunami and curb the levels of destruction caused.

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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.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

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.

Tsunami Essay

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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Geography Notes

Tsunami: compilation of essays on tsunami | natural disasters | geography.

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Tsunami’ for class 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Tsunami’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Tsunami

Essay Contents:

  • Essay on Preparedness for Tsunamis

Essay # 1. Definition of Tsunami:

The word tsunami is a Japanese word, represented by two characters: tsu, meaning, ‘harbour’, and nami meaning, ‘wave’. Tsunami is a set of ocean waves caused by any large, abrupt disturbance on the sea- surface. If the disturbance is close to the coastline, local tsunamis can demolish coastal communities within minutes. A very large disturbance can cause local devastation and export tsunami destruction thousands of miles away.  

Tsunamis rank high on the scale of natural disasters. Since 1850 alone, tsunamis have been responsible for the loss of over 420,000 lives and billions of dollars of damage to coastal structures and habitats. Most of these casualties were caused by local tsunamis that occur about once per year somewhere in the world.

For example, the December 26, 2004, tsunami killed about 130,000 people close to the earthquake and about 58,000 people on distant shores. Predicting when and where the next tsunami will strike is currently impossible. Once the tsunami is generated, forecasting tsunami arrival and impact is possible through modelling and measurement technologies.

Essay # 2. Meaning of Tsunami:

The phenomenon we call tsunami is a series of large waves of extremely long wavelength and period usually generated by a violent, impulsive undersea disturbance or activity near the coast or in the ocean. When a sudden displacement of a large volume of water occurs, or if the sea floor is suddenly raised or dropped by an earthquake, big tsunami waves can be formed by forces of gravity.

The waves travel out of the area of origin and can be extremely dangerous and damaging when they reach the shore. The word tsunami (pronounced tsoo-nah’-mee) is composed of the Japanese words ‘tsu’ (which means harbour) and ‘nami’ (which means ‘wave’).

Often the term, ‘seismic or tidal sea wave’ is used to describe the same phenomenon, however the terms are misleading, because tsunami waves can be generated by other non-seismic disturbances such as volcanic eruptions or underwater landslides, and have physical characteristics different from tidal waves.

The tsunami waves are completely unrelated to the astronomical tides—which are caused by the extra-terrestrial, gravi­tational influences of the moon, sun, and the planets. Thus, the Japanese word ‘tsunami’, meaning ‘harbour wave’ is correct, official and ail-inclusive term. It has been internationally adopted because it covers all forms of impulsive wave generation.

Essay # 3. Characteristics of Tsunami :

Tsunami in the deep ocean may have very long wave length of hundreds of kilometre and travels at about 800 km per hour, but an amplitude of only about 1 km. It remains undetected by ships in the deep sea. However, when it approaches the coast its wavelength diminishes but amplitude grows enormously, and it takes very little time to reach its full height.

Computer model can provide tsunami arrival, usually within minutes of the arrival time. Tsunamis have great erosion potential, stripping beaches of sand, coastal vegetation and dissipating its energy through the destruction of houses and coastal structures.

In the open ocean, tsunamis would not be felt by ships because the wavelength would be hundreds of miles long, with an amplitude of only a few feet. This would also make them unnoticeable from the air. As the waves approach the coast, their speed decreases and their amplitude increases. Unusual wave heights have been known to be over 100 feet high. However, waves that are 10 to 20 feet high can be very destructive and may cause many deaths or injuries.

From an initial tsunami generating source area, waves travel outward in all the directions much like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a pond. As these waves approach coastal areas, the time between successive wave crests varies from 5 to 90 minutes. The first wave is usually not the largest in the series of waves, nor it is the most significant.

Furthermore, one coastal community may experience no damaging waves while the other, located not that far away, may experience destructive deadly waves. Depending on a number of factors, some low-lying areas could experience severe inland inundation of water and debris of more than 1,000 feet.

Essay # 4. Prediction of Tsunamis :

There is no historic record of a tsunami in the Indian Ocean: the only earlier reference to a tsunami was in relation to the 1941 Andaman Island earthquake and prior to that in 1880s. That too is not documented. Tsunami is most infrequent and it is almost impossible to predict as compared to a normal earthquake.

Since this phenomenon has been experienced mostly in the pacific ocean region stretching from Chile in Latin America to Japan in far East-Asia. The international group for the Tsunami warning system does not extend to Indian Ocean.

The area of Sumatra where the earthquake occurred, was considered to lie in an endangered zone by many geologists and other experts, even though the exact date and time of catastrophe could not be forecast. The strength of the quake could not have been predicted nor its location below the ocean. No one had thought that such a dangerous tsunami would result as it happened in December, 2004.

Early warning can be made about the presence and advance of a tsunami. But this can be practical only for those who are some distance away from ground zero. These waves could be detected by specially designed synchronous satellites mandated to keep a watch. A more reliable method might be to locate several pressure sensors at the bottom of the ocean.

These sensors would detect the periodic changes in pressure produced by the variations of the water column height above caused by the passing waves. They would send the information up to the floating buoys using ultrasound chirp signal.

The buoys could be equipped to communicate through satellite communication with control, analysis and operational centres, which could then issue appropriate warnings to the people in potential impact zones. Although prediction of Tsunamis is an uphill task, however, disaster mitigation centres can be established in those areas, where there is an urgent need to provide relief and rehabilitation facilities.

The global tsunami warning system set up in 1965 is said to predict where tsunamis will strike up to 14 hours in advance, using network of seismic centres and tidal gauges attached to buoys in the oceans. According to the scientists in the Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a reliable early detection system for tsunamis is yet to be developed.

Essay # 5. Causes of Tsunami:

A tsunami is a large ocean wave that is caused by sudden motion on the ocean floor. This sudden motion could be an earthquake, a powerful volcanic eruption, or an underwater landslide. The impact of a large meteorite can also cause a tsunami. Tsunamis travel across the open ocean at great speeds and convert into large deadly waves in the shallow water of a shoreline.

(i) Subduction Zones are Potential Tsunami Locations :

Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes generated in a subduction zone, an area where an oceanic plate is being forced down into the mantle by tectonic plate forces. The friction between the subducting plate and the overriding plate is enormous. This friction prevents a slow and steady rate of subduction and instead the two plates become ‘stuck’.

(ii) Accumulated Seismic Energy :

As the stuck plate continues to descend into the mantle the motion causes a slow distortion of the overriding plate. The result is an accumulation of energy very similar to the energy stored in a compressed spring. Energy can accumulate in the overriding plate over a long period of time—decades or even centuries.

(iii) Earthquake Causes Tsunami :

Energy accumulates in the overriding plate until it exceeds the frictional forces between the two stuck plates. When this happens, the overriding plate snaps back into an unrestrained position. This sud­den motion is the cause of the tsunami—because it gives an enormous shove to the overlying water. At the same time, inland areas of the overriding plate are suddenly lowered.

(iv) Tsunami Races away from the Epicentre :

The moving wave begins travelling out from where the earthquake has occurred. Some of the water travels out across the ocean basin, and, at the same time, water rushes towards the land to flood the recently lowered shoreline.

Essay # 6. Generation of Tsunamis:

Tsunamis are commonly generated by earthquakes in marine and coastal regions. Major tsunamis are produced by large (greater than 7 on the Richter scale), shallow focus (< 30 km depth in the earth) earthquakes associated with the movement of oceanic and continental plates. They frequently occur in the Pacific, where dense oceanic plates slide under the lighter continental plates.

Propagation of Waves:

Because earth movements associated with large earth­quakes are thousands of square kilometres in area, any vertical movement of the seafloor immediately changes the sea-surface. The resulting tsunami propagates as a set of waves whose energy is concentrated at wavelengths corresponding to the earth movements (-100 km), wave heights determined by vertical displacement (~lm) and wave directions determined by the adjacent coastline geometry.

Because each earthquake is unique, every tsunami has unique wavelengths, wave heights and directionality. From a tsunami-warning perspective, this makes the problem of forecasting tsunamis in real time daunting.

How do Earthquakes Generate Tsunamis?

By far, the most destructive tsunamis are generated from large, shallow earthquakes with an epicentre or fault line near or on the ocean floor. These usually occur in regions of the earth characterized by tectonic subduction along tectonic plate boundaries. The high seismicity of such regions is caused by the collision of tectonic plates.

When these plates move past each other, they cause large earthquakes, which tilt, offset, or displace large areas of the ocean floor from a few kilometres to as much as a 1,000 km or more. The sudden vertical displacements over such large areas disturb the ocean’s surface, displace water, and generate destructive tsunami waves. The waves can travel great distances from the source region, spreading destruction along their path.

For example, the Great 1960 Chilean tsunami was generated by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake that had a rupture zone of over 1,000 km. Its waves were destructive not only in Chile, but also as far away as Hawaii, Japan and elsewhere in the Pacific. It should be noted that not all earthquakes generate tsunamis. Usually, it takes an earthquake with a Richter magni­tude exceeding 7.5 to produce a destructive tsunami.

How do Volcanic Eruptions Generate Tsunamis?

Although relatively infrequent, violent volcanic eruptions represent impulsive disturbances, which can displace a great volume of water and generate extremely destructive tsunami waves in the immedi­ate source area. According to this mechanism, waves may be generated by the sudden displacement of water caused by a volcanic explosion, by a volcano’s slope failure, or more likely by a phreatomagmatic explosion and collapse/engulfment of the volcanic magmatic chambers.

One of the largest and most destructive tsunamis ever recorded was generated on August 26, 1883 after the explosion and collapse of the volcano of Krakatoa (Krakatau), in Indonesia. This explosion generated waves that reached 135 feet, destroyed coastal towns and villages along the Sunda Strait in both the islands of Java and Sumatra, killing 36,417 people. It is also believed that the destruction of the Minoan civilization in Greece was caused in 1490 B.C. by the explosion/collapse of the volcano of Santorin in the Aegean Sea.

How do submarine landslides, rock falls and underwater slumps generate tsunamis?

Less frequently, tsunami waves can be generated from displacement of water resulting from rock falls, icefalls and sudden submarine landslides or slumps. Such events may be caused impulsively from the instability and sudden failure of submarine slopes, which are sometimes triggered by the ground motions of a strong earthquake.

For example, in 1980’s, the earth moving and construction work of an airport runway along the coast of Southern France, triggered an underwater landslide, which generated destructive tsunami waves in the harbour of Thebes.

Major earthquakes are suspected to cause many underwater landslides, which may contribute significantly to tsunami generation. For example, many scientists believe that the 1998 tsunami, which killed thousands of people and destroyed coastal villages along the northern coast of Papua-New Guinea, was generated by a large underwater slump of sediments, triggered by an earthquake.

In general, the energy of tsunami waves generated from landslides or rock falls is rapidly dissipated as they travel away from the source and across the ocean, or within an enclosed or semi-enclosed body of water—such as a lake or a fjord. However, it should be noted that the largest tsunami wave ever observed anywhere in the world was caused by a rock fall in Lituya Bay, Alaska on July 9, 1958.

Triggered by an earthquake along the Fairweather fault, an approximately 40 million cubic metre rock fall at the head of the bay generated a wave, which reached the incredible height of 520 metre wave (1,720 feet) on the opposite side of the inlet.

An initial huge solitary wave of about 180 metres (600 feet) raced at about 160 kilometres per hour (100 mph) within the bay debarking trees along its path. However, the tsunami’s energy and height diminished rapidly away from the source area and, once in the open ocean, it was hardly recorded by tide gauge stations.

Can Asteroids, Meteorites or Man-Made Explosions Cause Tsunamis?

Fortunately, for mankind, it is indeed very rare for a meteorite or an asteroid to reach the earth. No asteroid has fallen on the earth within recorded history. Most meteorites burn as they reach the earth’s atmosphere. However, large meteorites have hit the earth’s surface in the distant past. This is indicated by large craters, which have been found in different parts of the earth.

Also, it is possible that an asteroid may have fallen on the earth in prehistoric times—the last one some 65 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. Since, the evidence of the fall of meteorites and asteroids on earth exists, we must conclude that they have also fallen in the oceans and seas of the earth, particularly since four-fifths of our planet is covered by water.

The fall of meteorites or asteroids in the earth’s oceans has the potential of generating tsunamis of cataclysmic proportions. Scientists studying this possibility have concluded that the impact of moderately large asteroid, 5-6 km in diameter, in the middle of the large ocean basin such as the Atlantic Ocean, would produce a tsu­nami that would travel all the way to the Appalachian Mountains in the upper two-thirds of the United States. On both sides of the Atlantic, coastal cities would be washed out by such a tsunami.

An asteroid 5-6 kilometres in diameter impacting between the Hawaiian Islands and the West Coast of North America, would produce a tsunami which would wash out the coastal cities on the West coasts of Canada, U.S. and Mexico would cover most of the inhabited coastal areas of the Hawaiian islands.

Con­ceivably, tsunami waves can also be generated from very large nuclear explosions. However, no tsunami of any significance has ever resulted from the testing of nuclear weapons in the past. Furthermore, such testing is presently prohibited by international treaty.

Warning Systems :

Since 1946, the tsunami warning system has provided warnings of potential tsunami danger in the Pacific basin by monitoring earthquake activity and the pas­sage of tsunami waves at tide gauges. However, neither seismometers nor coastal tide gauges provide data that allow accurate prediction of the impact of a tsunami at a particular coastal location.

Monitoring earthquakes gives a good estimate of the potential for tsunami generation, based on earthquake size and location, but gives no direct information about the tsunami itself. Tide gauges in harbors provide direct measurements of the tsunami, but the tsunami is signifi­cantly altered by local bathymetry and harbour shapes, which severely limits their use in forecasting tsunami impact at other locations.

Partly because of these data limitations, 15 of 20 tsunami warnings issued since 1946 were considered false alarms because the tsunami that arrived was too weak to cause damage.

Essay # 7. Risk Assessment of Tsunami:

A preliminary risk assessment has been done for the Indian coast w.r.t. tsunamis taking into account the seismo-tectonic setting, historical seismicity and past-tsunami events.

The east and west coasts of India and the island regions are likely to be affected by Tsunamis generated mainly by subduction zone related earthquakes from the two potential source regions, viz., the Andaman- Nicobar-Sumatra Island Arc and the Makran subduction zone north of Arabian Seat.

Depending upon the location of the earthquake, the response time for evacuation of coastal population could range between 10 minutes to few hours. Tsunami modelling studies indicate that the least response time available is for the Andaman & Nicobar Islands which are situated right on the subduction zone capable of triggering tsunami earthquakes.

Considering that a credibly worst earthquake of 7.5 or higher occurs near Nicobar, the travel time to the nearest coast in Nicobar would be approximately 20-30 minutes and for the Indian mainland about 2-3 hours.

Where and How Frequently are Tsunamis Generated?

Tsunamis are disasters that can be generated in all of the world’s oceans, inland seas, and in any large body of water. Each region of the world appears to have its own cycle of frequency and pattern in generating tsunamis that range in size from small to the large and highly destructive events. Most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas.

The reason is that the Pacific covers more than one-third of the earth’s surface and is surrounded by a series of mountain chains, deep-ocean trenches and island arcs called the ‘ring of fire’—where most earthquakes occur (off the coasts of Kamchatka, Japan, the Kuril Islands, Alaska and South America). Many tsunamis have also been generated in the seas which border the Pacific Ocean.

Tsunamis are generated by shallow earthquakes all around the Pacific, but those from earthquakes in the tropical Pacific tend to be modest in size. While such tsunamis in these areas may be devastating locally, their energy decays rapidly with distance. Usually, they are not destructive a few hundred kilometres away from their sources.

That is not the case with tsunamis generated by great earthquakes in the North Pacific or along the Pacific coast of South America. On an average of about half-a-dozen times per century, a tsunami from one of these regions sweeps across the entire Pacific, is reflected from distant shores, and sets the entire ocean in motion for days.

For example, the 1960 Chilean tsunami caused death and destruction throughout the Pacific. Hawaii, Samoa, and Easter Island all recorded runups exceeding 4 m; 61 people were killed in Hawaii. In Japan 200 people died.

A similar tsunami in 1868 from northern Chile caused extensive damage in the Austral Islands, Hawaii, Samoa and New Zealand. Although not as frequent, destructive tsunamis have also been generated in the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea and even within smaller bodies of water, like the Sea of Marmara, in Turkey.

In 1999, a large earthquake along the North Anatolian Fault zone, generated a local tsunami, which was particularly damaging in the Bay of Izmit. In the last decade alone, destructive tsunamis have occurred in Nicaragua (1992), Indonesia (1992, 1994, 1996), Japan (1993), Philippines (1994), Mexico (1995), Peru (1996, 2001), Papua-New Guinea (1998), Turkey (1999), Vanuatu (1999) and India-Sri Lanka (2004).

How does Tsunami Energy Travel across the Ocean and How far can Tsunami Waves Reach?

Once a tsunami has been generated, its energy is distributed throughout the water column, regardless of the ocean’s depth. A tsunami is made up of a series of very long waves. The waves will travel outward on the surface of the ocean in all directions away from the source area, much like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a pond.

The wavelength of the tsunami waves and their period will depend on the generating mechanism and the dimensions of the source event. If the tsunami is generated from a large earthquake over a large area, its initial wavelength and period will be greater. If the tsunami is caused by a local landslide, both its initial wavelength and period will be shorter. The period of the tsunami waves may range from 5 to 90 minutes.

The wave crests of a tsunami can be a thousand km long, and from a few to a hundred kilometre or more apart as they travel across the ocean. On the open ocean, the wavelength of a tsunami may be as much as two hundred kilometres, many times greater than the ocean depth, which is in the order of a few kilometres. In the deep ocean, the height of the tsunami from trough to crest may be only a few centimetres to a metre or more—again depending on the generating source.

Tsunami waves in the deep ocean can travel at high speeds for a long period of time for thousands of kilometres and lose very little energy in the pro­cess. The deeper the water, the greater the speed of tsunami waves will be. For example, at the deep­est ocean depths the tsunami wave speed will be as much as 800 km/hr, about the same as that of a jet aircraft.

Since the average depth of the Pacific Ocean is 4000 m (14,000 feet), wave speed of tsunami will average about 200 m/s or over 700 km/hr (500 mph). At such high speeds, a tsunami generated in Aleutian Islands may reach Hawaii in less than four and a half hours. In 1960, great tsunami waves generated in Chile reached Japan, more than 16,800 km away in less than 24 hours, killing hundreds of people.

Essay # 8. Capacity-Building for Tsunami :

UNDP describes ‘capacity-building’ as the creation of an enabling environment with appropriate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, including community participation (of women in particular), human resource development and strengthening of managerial systems. It adds that capacity-building is a long-term, continuing process, in which all stakeholders participate (ministries, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, and water user associations, professional associations, academics and others).

Capacity may include physical, institutional, social or economic means as well as skilled per­sonal or collective attributes such as leadership and management. Capacity may also be described as capability.

Capacity-building is much more than training and includes the following:

i. Human resource development, the process of equipping individuals with the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively,

ii. Organizational development, the elaboration of management structures, processes and pro­cedures, not only within organizations but also the management of relationships between the different organizations and sectors (public, private and community).

iii. Institutional and legal framework develop­ment, making legal and regulatory changes to enable organizations, institutions and agencies at all levels and in all sectors to enhance their capacities.

Approach to Capacity-Building :

The National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM) describes its approach to capacity development. A strategic approach to capacity development can be addressed effectively only with the active and enthusiastic participation of the stakeholders.

This process comprises of awareness generation, education, training, research and development (R&D) etc. It further addresses to put in place an appropriate institutional framework, management systems and allocation of resources for efficient prevention and handling of disasters.

The approach to capacity development includes:

i. Accordingly, priority to training for develop­ing community based DM, systems for their specific needs in view of the regional diversi­ties and multi-hazard vulnerabilities,

ii. Conceptualization of community based DM systems at the national level through a consul­tative process involving the States and other stakeholders with the state and local level authorities in-charge of implementation,

iii. Identification of knowledge-based institutions with proven performance,

iv. Promotion of international and regional coop­eration.

Essay # 9. Preparedness for Tsunamis — What To Do?

The United Nations has been engaged for fifteen years in a process of creating awareness and promoting the development of policies to diminish the loss of life and property from natural and man- made disasters. This was first done through efforts during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and then through the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction that followed, as well as by the establishment of the UN Disaster Task Force, in which UNESCO and IOC participate.

Awareness-raising and policy-development issues in disaster reduction were raised to a higher level at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Japan, in January 2005 in which more than 6,000 delegates from 155 countries, and numerous inter-governmental and non-governmental agencies, United Nations, and other specialized organizations participated.

Early Warning Systems can save lives. In par­ticular, a number of elements are critical for an effective system to operate, and can be summarized as follows:

i. Proper instruments that enable the early detec­tion of potentially harmful earthquakes and tsu­namis. The data obtained by these instruments must be readily available to all nations continu­ously and in real-time to be effective.

ii. Warning systems that reliably inform the vulnerable populations immediately and in an understandable and culturally appropriate way. The Warning Centre must be able to analyze and forecast the impact of tsunamis on coasts in advance of the waves’ arrival and the local, regional, and/or national Disaster Management Organizations (DMOs) must be able to immediately disseminate information of the threat to enable evacuation of all vulnerable communities. The communication methods must be reliable, robust and redundant, and work closely with the mass media and telecommunication providers to accomplish this broadcast.

iii. Awareness activities that enable ordinary citizens to recognize a tsunami so that they know what to do. Citizens should recognize tsunami’s natural warning signs and respond immediately. This is especially true for the case of a local tsunami, which may hit within minutes and before an official tsunami warning can reach their communities.

iv. Preparedness activities which educate and inform a wide populace, including government responders and those providing lifeline and criti­cal infrastructure services, on the procedures and activities that must be taken to ensure public safety. Drills and exercises before an actual event, and proactive outreach and awareness activities are essential for reducing tsunami impact.

v. Planning activities which identify and create the public safety procedures and products, and build capacity for organizations to respond faster. It is necessary to create and widely disseminate tsunami evacuation or flooding maps, and instructions on when to go, where to go, and how to go. Evacuation shelters and evacuation routes need to be clearly identified and widely known by all segments of the coastal population.

vi. Strong buildings, safe structures, and prudent land-use policies which save lives and reduce property damage that are implemented as pre- disaster mitigations. Tall, reinforced-concrete buildings may be adequate places to which people can vertically evacuate if there is no time to reach higher ground inland. Long-term planning to avoid placing critical infrastructure and lifeline support facilities in inundation zones will reduce the time needed for services to be restored.

vii. Stakeholder coordination as the essential mech­anism that facilitates effective actions in warn­ing and emergency response. Clear designation of the national or local authority from which the public will receive emergency information, it is critical to avoid public confusion, which would compromise on public safety.

viii. High-level advocacy that ensures a sustained commitment to prepare for infrequent, high- fatality natural disasters such as tsunamis.

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tsunami disaster essay

What is a tsunami?

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

damage from tsunami in American Samoa

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.

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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.

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INTERVIEW: ‘Education has power to save lives,’ survivors say, ahead of first Tsunami Awareness Day

An aerial view of the vast destruction of the Indonesian coast, between the towns of Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, caused by the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

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Ahead of the inaugural World Tsunami Awareness Day on 5 November, two survivors of the most devastating tsunami in recent history – a Czech supermodel and a member of the Spanish family featured in the film The Impossible (2012) – have joined the United Nations’ commemoration of the Day.

“It’s like a concrete building, not water, falling on you,” Petra Nemcova, a 37-year-old fashion model and philanthropist, told the UN News Centre, describing the impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on 26 December 2004, which hit her and her partner in a bungalow on a Thai beach.

There was no warning, she said. In seconds, the bungalow completely crashed and there was glass everywhere and they were trying to hold on for dear life. She almost drowned many times, but after holding onto a palm tree for eight hours, she was found by a Thai man who risked his life to save the lives of strangers. Her partner was a strong swimmer but the power of nature was too strong for anyone.

Unfortunately, he was among the roughly 9,000 foreign tourists that perished in the disaster, which left more than 220,000 people dead.

In that moment, I didn’t have a choice. But now I have a choice to help children

“I’m happy to hear that finally tsunami has a dedicated international day to raise the awareness of the importance of early warning systems, education and preparedness,” she said, stressing that “the power of education is not just to transform lives but the power of education is to really save lives.”

She said that there is usually time to evacuate in the wake of earthquakes. The 2004 tsunami took two hours to strike Thailand. “In two hours, you can save your lives if there is an early warning system and enough education.”

“Time is of the essence here. There is no excuse for countries not to have an early warning system or education,” she said.

She defines herself as a supermodel, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Her tragic experience changed her perspective about life.

While holding on to a palm tree, she heard children screaming. She couldn’t swim and help them because debris was around her. After half an hour she couldn’t hear their voices anymore, which meant that they couldn’t hold on any longer.

“In that moment, I didn’t have a choice,” she said. “But now I have a choice to help children.”

In 2006, she founded Happy Hearts Fund (HHF), whose mission is to rebuild safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters. “I’m happy to announce that we have now rebuilt 150 schools in 10 countries,” including Thailand, Indonesia, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Haiti.

Ms. Nemcova said that tsunami awareness education should take place everywhere, not just in school, because everyone travels. She proposed “smart partnerships,” such as with airlines, which can introduce measures to warn passengers against disaster risks.

Tomas Alvarez-Belon, now 20 years old, was only eight, when he, his father Quique, mother Maria and brothers Simon, five, and Lucas 10, were staying at a resort hotel in the Khao Lak region of Thailand. All survived and reunited. The story of his family was portrayed in the film, The Impossible.

He was by a pool around 8 o’clock in the morning. “All of the sudden, the world started to shake, you don't understand what's happening. You suddenly see a black wall,” he told the UN News Centre. People imagine big waves they can recognize, but that was not the case. “A massive wall approaches so fast, and before you even understand what happened, you are being drowned or pulled into the water.”

When he finally resurfaced, “you don't see the world, you see people floating, people screaming, you see torn buildings. It’s hard to recognize reality.”

As for World Tsunami Awareness Day , he said “it is important that the world can not only mark an occasion to remember the victims of the disasters that have changed the course of history, and the course of many of our lives, but also to raise the awareness that we can prepare better and can avoid future deaths.”

“It's never easy to go back to the moment of a tsunami and what happened in the aftermath, but it is so important to get the message out,” he said, adding that he feels so fortunate to be able to share the story for a higher cause to fight for.

When he tells his traumatic experience, there are two key messages he underlines.

“First is the humanity of what we saw, how people helped each other anonymously – they did not have to be from the same country, from the same race, from the same religion. It was human helping human, and that is the core of my message,” he said.

It needs to be a movement that is born here in the UN and then spreads to Governments, and then from Governments to their people

“Second is that a lot of what happened on the day tsunami hit could have been avoided if the warning system had worked […],” he said, stressing that hundreds of thousands of lives could have been saved.

Evidently, tsunami changed how he approaches nature. When he goes to a beach, he thinks about what the tallest building is around there and where he could evacuate. “It's not a human instinct to think that way because when you are on a beach, you want to have fun,” he said, stressing the need for local authorities to make visitors aware of tsunami risk.

“People around the world look up to the UN as a voice of reason, impartiality and sanity,” said Mr. Belon, who is currently studying a B.S. in Science, Technology and International Affairs at Georgetown University. “It needs to be a movement that is born here in the UN and then spreads to Governments, and then from Governments to their people.”

“We want to see concrete actions and we hope that the UN is the place where those actions begin,” he said.

The tsunami experience has made him think deeply about what he wants to do with his life, how fortunate he is to be alive, how valuable each day is and how he needs to be dedicated to helping others. “At the core of it is the humanity that resides inside each of us,” he said.

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Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples

What would you do if someone told you that a tsunami would wipe out your house tomorrow afternoon? You won’t believe them. It always seems that natural disasters happen in someone else’s life. But every year, millions of people worldwide suffer from various natural calamities. This article attempts to systemize the chaos of nature for you to write an impressive natural disaster essay. You will get acquainted with the seven types of disasters, get a long list of topics and examples of natural disaster essay in 200 words and 300 words.

  • 🌪️ Natural Disaster: The Basics
  • 💡 114 Essay Topics
  • 📑 Outlining Your Essay
  • 🌊 Essay Sample (200 Words)
  • 🏜️ Essay Sample (300 Words)

🌪️ Natural Disaster Essay: What Is It About?

A natural disaster is a large-scale meteorological or geological event that can to cause loss of life or massive damage to people’s property. Floods and severe storms are the most reported acts of nature in the US, but other incidents also happen from time to time. That is why you can dedicate your essay on natural disasters to earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, or tornadoes.

The picture lists the 7 main types of natural disasters.

It is a powerful funnel-shaped cloud that rotates and demolishes buildings, hurls cars, and uproots trees. Tornadoes appear from cumulonimbus clouds, pending with their smaller part to the ground. This column of air has a wind speed of up to 300 mph. In your disaster management essay, you can suggest reasonable precautions to save as many people and property as possible in a tornado area.
It is a tropical cyclone that affects the coastal population of the southern Atlantic Ocean, eastern , Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. These acts of nature may include heavy winds, floods, and tornadoes. For this reason, you can describe natural disasters’ impact on human life in the essay.
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the US. They usually occur when the volume of water in a stream is larger than the channel’s capacity. Then, the land that is typically dry gets submerged. Streamflow depends on numerous factors making floods hard to predict.
This Japanese word (‘tsu’ for harbor and ‘nami’ for wave) denominates powerful waves caused by an underwater earthquake, land slumping, landslides on the seafloor, meteorite impact, or volcanic eruption in the ocean. In a tsunami disaster essay, you could describe a historical tragedy and analyze its causes.
This type of disaster starts when lightning hits a tree in the wood or due to man-made causes. It is an unplanned and uncontrolled spread of fire in natural areas with combustible vegetation.
It is an extended lack of water in a given region. A drought can happen due to the below-normal precipitation. It causes crop damage and water shortage in the area. It can last for years or end in weeks.
It is the result of seismic waves in the Earth’s crust. Tectonic plates shake or move, damaging everything that stands or lives on them. Some of them may be caused by anthropogenic factors.

💡 114 Natural Disasters Essay Topics

What could you write in a natural disaster essay? You can invent your own topic about various types of natural disasters, their causes, and aftermath, or their impact on human life and the economy. Depending on the discipline, you can also describe historic calamities that changed the direction of human civilization. Alternatively, choose one from our comprehensive list below.

  • Why are the Great Plains of the central US ideal for tornado formation?
  • Global Warming and Climate Change Legislation.
  • Research the atmospheric parameters inside a tornado.
  • Energy, Technology and Climate Change.
  • Why are the boundaries of Tornado Alley in the US so debatable?
  • The global climate change as a manmade disaster.
  • Which actions should you never do when a tornado is nearby?
  • Volunteers’ Role During Disasters.
  • Suggest your opinion on the best action strategy in a hurricane.
  • The Columbia Disaster and safety violations.
  • What were the causes and effects of a flood?
  • Analysis on Climate Change and Global Impact.
  • Describe the most devastating wildfires in the US and find their common features.
  • Earthquake Engineering Considerations and Methods.
  • Brainstorm ideas to prevent wildfires.
  • Global warming and the greenhouse effect.
  • How can building dams cause earthquakes?
  • Climate Change and Its Impact on Freshwater.
  • Analyze the impact of droughts on tourism.
  • Climate Change Effect on Coral Reef Communities.
  • Describe the most extended droughts in human history.
  • Marine and Coastal Climate Change in Australia.
  • Write an essay on natural disasters and earthquakes in particular.
  • Air pollution and mortality rates
  • What are the distinctive features of droughts in third-world countries?
  • Global Warming, Climate Change, and Society’s Impact on the Environment.
  • Study the relationship between global warming and droughts.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After a Hurricane.
  • Evaluate the damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
  • Social Media’s Role in Disaster Response.
  • Classify the effects of natural disasters in an essay.
  • Sustainability and Climate Change.
  • Describe the 1815 volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora, Indonesia.
  • Hurricane Katrina: Overview, Impact, Response.
  • Each new leap of civilization causes new responses of nature.
  • Animal Exploitation. Animal Agriculture and Climate Change.
  • Think of any positive effects a volcanic eruption may have.
  • In Arizona, Collaboration Averts Water Disaster.
  • Children are the poorest victims of any disaster.
  • A Solution to Remedy Climate Change.
  • Which ways of disaster risk reduction do you know?
  • An Emergency Operations Center During Hurricane Harvey.
  • Research the current problems in disaster management.
  • Disaster Recovery Plan for Information Technology Organizations.
  • Analyze ineffective disaster management in an essay about hurricane Katrina.
  • Nurse Competencies and Scope of Practice in Disaster.
  • What should a household have at home in the case of a disaster?
  • Hurricane Katrina: The Powerful Natural Disaster.
  • Describe the humanitarian disaster during the drought in Somalia.
  • Technology in Disaster Preparedness.
  • Can man-made disasters entail natural calamities?
  • Disaster Management in Philadelphia.
  • Review the criteria for disaster classification.
  • Jeddah Floods and Adaptation Strategies in the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  • Search for real examples of hybrid disasters.
  • Natural Disasters Prevention: A Tabletop Exercise.
  • Who is responsible for casualties after a natural disaster?
  • The Sand Storms: Remote Sensing and Meteorological Variables.
  • List the lessons we could learn from our past disaster experience.
  • Fire Development, Growth, and Spreads.
  • The ice storm and silver thaw: A gentle disaster.
  • Fire Crisis Management in the UAE.
  • Rockslides: A pressing issue for rural areas.
  • 1d – 2d Flood Modeling Using PCSWMM.
  • What are the psychological benefits of disaster preparedness?
  • Structural Control and Origin of Volcanism in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.
  • When does a blizzard become a disaster?
  • Extreme Weather Events + Geographies of Globalization.
  • Research the causes of dust storms and name the affected areas.
  • Strategies for Sustainable Integrated Oil Disaster Management in West Africa.
  • Why did the San Francisco earthquake (1906) cause devastating fires?
  • Causes of Climate Change.
  • What could be done to help people who lost their homes in an earthquake?
  • Book Review: Energy and Global Climate Change.
  • Analyze the role of World Vision in humanitarian aid after disasters.
  • Tangshan earthquake of 1976 showed that high population density is disastrous.
  • The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Climate Change.
  • Rock avalanche: Why water is the most powerful geological agent.
  • Aspects of Climate Change.
  • When do extreme weather conditions turn into a disaster?
  • Climate Change: Reasons, Kyoto Protocol.
  • Write an article on shelter-providing organizations for disaster victims.
  • Establishing an IT Disaster Recovery Plan.
  • Describe earthquake cycles in Haiti.
  • Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food.
  • How can nature damage ecology in natural disasters?
  • Climate Change. Problems. Effects.
  • Disaster management should include psychological help to the survivors.
  • Climate Change Causes: Position and Strategies.
  • Suggest ways to prevent damage caused by debris flow.
  • HAT 4: Disaster in Franklin Country.
  • How did the lack of evacuation after the Bhola cyclone (1970) result in the massive death toll?
  • The Effects of Climate Change.
  • The most significant Yellow River flood: 2 million deaths in 1887.
  • Resilience Building Against Natural Disasters in the Caribbean Islands.
  • Sinkholes: A natural disaster or attraction for cavers and water-divers?
  • Global Climate Change and Health.
  • Describe the dynamics of landslides in California.
  • Which early-warning systems to detect avalanches do you know?
  • Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action.
  • Pyroclastic flow: The deadliest volcanic hazard.
  • Communication During Disaster Response.
  • Describe the volcano eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the Herculaneum and Pompeii.
  • Disaster Planning for Families.
  • Disaster prevention measures: Investments that save millions of lives.
  • Natural Disaster Management and Historical Prospective Study in the UAE.
  • Research the PTSD in survivors of natural disasters.
  • Are the latest disasters the nature’s fightback to humanity?
  • Estimate the human impact on natural disasters.
  • List the countries with the largest number of disasters and find their standard features.
  • Everyday Communication on Climate Change.
  • Insurance coverage against disasters: Our inevitable future.
  • Emergency Planning Before and After Hurricane Katrina.
  • One natural disaster could bring the world to its end.

Haven’t found a suitable topic in the list above? Use our essay topic generator to get more ideas.

📑 Natural Disaster Essay Outline

Outlines differ, depending on the assigned length and essay type. It is a reference sample. Feel free to modify it, extending some points and narrowing the others. Still, the overall structure should remain the same. We have chosen the “Causes of Earthquakes” essay topic for demonstrative purposes.

  • Hook . There are millions of possible ways to start your essay, from a rhetorical question to any imaginable scenario. The point is to grab the reader’s attention, showing them that your writing is unique and creative. For example: We are always concerned with the consequences of a natural disaster. But what brought us into such a calamity in the first place?
  • Concepts. Natural disasters can be studied in the framework of various disciplines. But in all cases, they are linked with geology, biology, chemistry, geography, and some other subjects with broad and complicated terminology. Explain the terms that could be elusive for your readers here. For example: For the purposes of this essay, an earthquake is a sudden displacement of the land surface.
  • Background. How did you come to think of this problem? Why is it topical? The causes of earthquakes are numerous and often unrelated. To understand them as a system, we need a strict classification.
  • Thesis statement . Clearly state the aim of your essay. This essay attempts to group the causes of earthquakes to determine which factors can be tackled by human forces.
  • Transition sentence. It comes in the previous sentence (for paragraphs 2 and 3) and ensures smooth reading. E.g.: Tectonic movements are the most powerful causes of earthquakes, and we cannot influence them. But still, there is something we could do.
  • Topic sentence . What will you explain in this paragraph? Human interference with nature can also cause earthquakes.
  • Evidence. How can you confirm the topic sentence? Heavy clubbing of dam water can disturbance the crustal balance. Nuclear bombing causes shockwaves that penetrate the surface, changing the tectonic plates and their natural alignment. Mining can also cause earthquakes by removing extensive volumes of stone from under the ground.
  • Warrant. Why does the reader need this information, and how does it relate to the thesis statement? Knowing these facts can help us change the old-fashioned approaches and lessen the ecological damage to our planet.
  • Summary. Collect and summarize all your arguments here. Tectonic movements, volcano eruptions, and geological faults cause a significant part of earthquakes worldwide. But various man-made causes bring us to the same result.
  • Rephrased thesis. We cannot stop the tectonic movements or hinder volcanic eruptions, but we can use natural resources with more care.

🌊 Natural Disaster Essay 200 Words

Below you will find a short natural disaster essay for 200 words. It explores the causes and effects of the tsunami in Japan in 2011.

Tsunami in Japan: Causes and Effects The proximity of the deadliest disasters is often unpredictable. As a result, the consequences of a tsunami can exceed any possible expectations. This essay looks for the decisive factors that caused the tsunami in Japan in 2011 and its results for the local population and other countries. The causes were out of human control and could not be predicted. The Pacific plate moved in the horizontal and vertical plane, advancing beneath the Eurasian Plate. It displaced the seawater above and entailed several destructive waves. The disaster had enormous consequences for the Japanese people and their economy. It killed almost 16,000 people, although the country had a sophisticated alarming system. Besides, the earthquake caused fires and explosions at oil factories. The cooling system of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant went out of service. Two people were lost, and many were injured. Nissan, like many other large corporations, had to suspend the operation of its four factories. The economic losses due to the catastrophe amounted to 300 billion dollars. But the disaster moved to other places. On 24 March 2011, the earthquake in the east of Myanmar claimed the lives of 60 people and destroyed 300 buildings. As we can see, everything is linked on our planet. Movements of the earth’ crust in any part of the world bring about earthquakes and tsunami in other countries. The series of waves in Japan was caused by the underwater earthquake and had horrible consequences.

🏜️ Natural Disaster Essay 300 Words

If your assignment is longer, you will have to provide your opinion in the essay. Or, you can make your argumentation more detailed. Below you can check our 300-word sample of a disaster essay.

The Economic Effects of the Dust Bowl Drought When someone says “a natural disaster,” we usually imagine an earthquake or a tsunami. Buildings are destroyed, and property is lost. But imagine a scenario of a devastating drought, which happened in the US in the 1930s. Its effect is less visible because it lies in the domain of the national economy. This essay reveals the economic consequences of the Dust Bowl drought. During the third decade of the XX century, strong winds raised choking dust in the southern states, from Texas to Nebraska. People and animals died as the crops failed in the area for several years in a row. The Dust Bowl lasted for almost a decade and was also called “the Dirty Thirties.” This drought intensified the impact of the Great Depression. Local farmers had to migrate to urban areas in search of better conditions and other sources of living. About 2.5 million people moved West from the worst-hit states, namely New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas. But they found only discrimination, meager salaries, and inhuman working conditions. Many had to live in tents near irrigation ditches. They were called “Okies,” a disdainful name for migrants of any state. Regular rains returned to the southern states by the end of 1939, closing the drought. However, the economic aftermath persisted. The counties that suffered the most failed to recover the agricultural value of their land till the 1950s. Thus, the local population kept decreasing for twenty years. Although a drought does not ruin property, it can tangibly lower human life levels. The Dust Bowl threw people into a lose-lose situation. Their farms were unfit for gaining any profit, and the new places of living gave them no better opportunities. It took two decades to restore public wellbeing in the Southern States.

Researching the worst acts of nature can teach you to value what you have. We hope that this article has made your creative writing more manageable and pleasurable. You can write an essay of any length by simply following our outline. All you will need to do after that is make a cover page for it.

Please share your natural disaster essay ideas in the comments below.

❓ Natural Disaster Essay FAQ

How to write an essay about natural disaster.

Your approach should depend on the discipline. But in any case, you can discuss the types of disasters, their consequences, characteristics, and preconditions. The excellent idea is to select a past disastrous event and analyze it from the economic, social, or individual point of view.

What Is a Disaster Essay?

A disaster essay explores the stages of a natural or man-made calamity and seeks the possible ways to prevent similar emergencies in the future. An article on disaster management studies the correct and efficient activities to lower the casualties and property loss after a disaster.

What Is Disaster Preparedness Essay?

This type of writing analyzes the level of readiness of a region or municipality to an unexpected natural disaster. You can highlight the vulnerable groups of the population that will suffer the most. Or, you may invent measures that could reduce the disaster response and coping time. Such assignments teach you strategic thinking and a systematic approach to problem-solving.

How to Describe a Natural Disaster for an Essay?

You should specify that the event was unexpected and led to many deaths and property loss. The most critical things include the causes of the disaster, its progress and duration, and the negative consequences for the locals. You can also specify the negative effect on the economy and humanitarian condition of the area.

🔗 References

  • Natural Disasters and Severe Weather | CDC
  • Types of Disasters | SAMHSA
  • Natural Disaster – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
  • Natural Disasters – National Geographic
  • What Is Disaster Management: Prevention and Mitigation

Natural Disasters Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on natural disasters.

A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it. Some of them are earthquakes , cyclones, floods, Tsunami , landslides, volcanic eruption, and avalanches. Spatial extent measures the degree or severity of the disaster.

Essay on natural disaster

Levels of Disaster

The severity or degree of damage can be further divided into three categories:

Small Scale Disasters: Small scale disasters are those that extend from 50 Kms. to 100 Kms. So this kind of disasters does not cause much damage.

Medium-scale disasters: Medium Scale disasters extend from 100 Kms to 500 Kms. These cause more damage than a small scale disaster. Moreover, they can cause greater damage if they occur in colonial states.

Large Scale Disasters: These disasters cover an area of more than 1000 Kms. These cause the most severe damage to the environment. Furthermore, these disasters can even take over a country if the degree is high. For instance, the wiping out of the dinosaurs was because of a large scale natural disaster.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Types of Disasters

tsunami disaster essay

Causes: These can cause of releasing of the energy. This release is from the core of the earth. Furthermore, the release of energy causes seismic waves. Rupturing of geological faults causes earthquakes. But other events like volcanic eruptions, landslides mine blasts can also cause it.

Landslides: Landslides is the moving of big boulders of rocks or debris down a slope. As a result, landslides occur on mountains and hilly areas. Moreover, landslides can cause destruction to man-made things in many ways.

Causes: Gravitational pull, volcanic eruptions , earthquakes can cause landslides. Moreover, soil erosion due to deforestation is also a cause of landslides.

Avalanches: Avalanches are like landslides. But instead of rocks thousand tons of snow falls down the slope. Moreover, this causes extreme damage to anything that comes in its way. People who live in snowy mountains always have fear of it.

Causes: Avalanches takes places when there is a large accumulation of snow on the mountains. Moreover, they can also occur from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Furthermore, the chances of surviving an avalanche are very less. This is because people die of hypothermia in it.

Tsunami: Tsunami is the production of very high waves in oceans and seas. Moreover, the displacement of the ground causes these high waves. A tsunami can cause floods if it occurs near shores. A Tsunami can consist of multiple waves. Moreover, these waves have a high current. Therefore it can reach coastlines within minutes. The main threat of a tsunami is if a person sees a Tsunami he cannot outrun it.

Causes: Tsunami is unlike normal eaves that occur due to the wind. But Tsunami is waves that occur by ground displacement. Thus earthquakes are the main causes of Tsunamis.

FAQs on Essay on natural disaster

Q1.What are natural disasters?

A1. Natural Disasters are unforeseen events that cause damage to the environment and the people.

Q2.Name some Natural disasters.

A2. Some Natural Disasters are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Landslides, floods, Tsunami, avalanches. Natural disasters can cause great damage to human society. But preventive measures can be taken to reduce the damage from these disasters.

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The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka Analytical Essay

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Introduction

The stay of mankind on planet earth has often witnessed moments of helplessness when natural disasters have stuck; thus, destroying many lives and disorienting mankind in the process. From our earliest ancestors to the modern man, we have not been safe from the anger of natural disasters.

Ranging from volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and the destructive tsunamis, we are susceptible to an array of natural disasters that is always waiting to strike. Such was the case when a tsunami hit the coastline of Sri Lanka on 26 th December, 2004.

Without warning, thousands of people were killed by the 2004 tsunami. Such is the common story that is often told when catastrophic disasters like a tsunami strikes. Although we have evolved in science and thus learned many secrets of our world, we have not been able to subdue natural disasters. Since all life is precious, it is our responsibility to use the resources we have, and adopt a behaviour that can help us preserve even a few lives during catastrophic events.

Generally, a tsunami can be defined as a series of wave disturbances which usually originate from a vertical displacement of a water column (Abek 1561). The word “tsunami” has an origin in the Japanese language. Here, “tsunami” can be directly translated as a series of waves that often form at bays (Hassain 51).

Usually, anything with a potential of displacing, or moving a large volume of water can cause a tsunami (Vitarana 84). The most common causes of tsunamis include earthquakes, moving heavenly bodies such as meteorites and asteroids, volcanoes, and landslides (Vitarana 84).

Earthquakes

Most tsunamis originate from earthquakes. Once an earthquake occurs on a sea bed, a large mass of water is displaced upwards. Due to the force of gravity, the displaced volume of water will move downwards to regain its original position (Vitarana 84).

A repetitive cycle where a water column moves up and down is created; hence forming a wave. Usually, a displacement of a water column will occur when part of a sea bed is displaced (UNEP 12). A fault line in the earths crust can especially create a boundary where a vertical displacement of the sea bed can easily occur (Liu 106).

Earthquakes that occur on subduction trenches are the main causes of most tsunamis (Liu 106). The tsunami waves that originate from an earthquake source can then move away from the place where they originate thousands of miles (Moore 143). Knowing the magnitude of an earthquake can especially be useful in determining the scale of tsunamis that have travelled thousands of miles from their source (Hassain 51).

Tsunamis can also originate from landslides. Landslides can occur at the seabed, or at the coast (Vitarana 84). Possible causes of such landslides include the earthquakes, the erosion of sea slopes, and volcanoes (Hanson 67).

The erosion of coastal slopes can occur as a result of rain action, from sea waves, and storms (Hanson 67). Due to a displacement of sea water as a result of displaced debris from landslides, a series of waves that has a potential of causing a tsunami is formed (Van 24).

When a volcano occurs above the surface of the sea, but in proximity to the sea’s surface, a large quantity of rock debris is thrown into the sea. When such debris falls into the sea, it displaces water; hence, creating waves that can cause a tsunami.

However, volcanic eruptions that occur under a sea are more hazardous in forming tsunamis (Hassain 51). Tsunamis can originate from a displacement of water that is caused from a rising slope of a volcano (Van 24).

Besides, gases that are usually released from an erupting volcano can also cause a large water displacement; hence, forming a tsunami in themselves (Hanson 67). Moreover, a volcano can also trigger an earthquake, which can then trigger a tsunami (Damen 106).

Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids

Our earth is constantly in danger of colliding with heavenly bodies like comets, asteroids and meteorites (Hanson 67). While one might think that great damage from such collisions will occur if such bodies hit the earth’s surface in an area that is densely populated (such as a town), a greater catastrophic damage will happen if such bodies strike at sea (Abek 1561).

For example, scientists estimate that if an asteroid that is about six kilometres in size was to fall in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a third of the US population would be killed (Damen 106). The gigantic speed and size of a typical asteroid can create huge waves (tsunamis) that can cause a devastating damage to our population (Liu 106).

Although the possibility of us experiencing such a collision (from a heavenly body such as a comet) is almost zero, there is always a possibility, however remote, of such a catastrophe (Abek 1561).

Activities of Man

Any human activity that can result in a displacement of a large volume of sea water can lead to the build-up of a tsunami wave. The carrying out of nuclear tests in deep sea can especially release large amounts of energy which can then displace large volumes of sea water; hence, leading to the development of a tsunami wave.

Characteristics of a Tsunami

As we had seen earlier, a tsunami originates from a displacement of a large volume of water (Van 24). Such a displacement creates a wave that moves up and down. A tsunami is therefore a wave that is very similar to the kind of wave ripples that we usually observe when we throw a stone in a tank of water (Damen 106).

Very often, a tsunami will travel as a series of multiple waves; hence, it is usually called a train of waves (Damen 106). Once it forms, a tsunami can travel thousands of miles in the sea before reaching a coastal area (Liu 106).

For example, a tsunami with an origin in the Atlantic can travel at an incredible speed of over 1000 km/hr to reach the Japanese coastline within 24 hours. Usually, tsunamis travel at very high speeds in deep sea waters (Hassain 51).

However, on reaching shallow waters, the speeds of tsunamis usually reduce gradually (Van 24). Such behaviour results from an energy flux that remains constant during a wave travel (Hanson 67). Since the energy flux of a tsunami is proportional to the speed and amplitude of a tsunami wave, tsunamis at deep waters will travel at high speeds and low amplitudes.

Unlike their counterparts in shallow waters, such tsunamis will usually consist of waves that are small in amplitude and long (in horizontal size) (Abek 1561). Indeed, it is sometimes difficult to physically observe a tsunami wave that is travelling in the deep sea (Moore 115).

However, as a tsunami moves into shallow waters towards a coastal area, its speed decreases while its amplitude increases. Travelling at a speed that is proportional to the square root of gravity constant multiplied by depth, a tsunami that is travelling in water that has a depth of five kilometres can move at a speed of over 800 km/hr.

On hitting a coastline, such a tsunami can travel at amplitude that is within ten to fifty meters. Such tsunamis can be observed as a series of water waves forming a series of rises that alternate with falls at the coastline. Usually, tsunamis can occur for several hours.

Like any other wave, tsunami waves can add to one another to form waves with higher amplitudes, or subtract from one another to form waves of lower (or zero) amplitudes (Moore 116).

The 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka

The date of 26 th December, 2004, will be remembered for a long time by many people in Sri Lanka. During this particular date, a tsunami of a large magnitude and scale hit the coastline of Sri Lanka (Liu 117). The 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka was caused by an earthquake of a high magnitude that occurred in the western coast of Sumatra (Moore 138).

The focal depth of this particular earthquake was about thirty kilometres (Liu 117). Described as the worst earthquake to occur in the history of our planet in the past five decades, the earthquake that caused Sri Lanka’s tsunami measured over 9.0 on the Richter scale (Liu 106).

The above earthquake originated from an interaction of Australian, Sunda, and Burmerse tectonic plates. Here, as much as 30 meters of the sea bed covering a distance of over one thousand kilometres was displaced (Abek 1561).

Thus, the displacement that was caused by the described tsunami resulted in a vertical displacement of a very large volume of water; hence, creating a tsunami (Moore 129). Moreover, the 9.0 earthquake caused a series of about fifteen other earthquakes in the affected region.

As a result of a water displacement (caused by the resulting upward movement of the sea floor) that was caused by the 9.0 earthquake, a series of three tsunami waves was formed (Liu 106). Time duration between these tsunami waves averaged about twenty minutes.

Effects of the 2004 Sri Lanka’s Tsunami

When a tsunami reaches a coastline, it travels with high amplitude (from ten meters to even fifty meters). Thus, water overflows from the coastline towards the inland. Such a moving volume of water travels at a high speed, and with enormous energy that can cause huge destructions.

The 2004 tsunami, which hit the Sri Lankan coastline, affected more than two thirds of the Sri Lankan coastline. More than 20% of the Sri Lankan population was thus affected by the 2004 tsunami. Here, the moving tsunami wave drowned and killed thousands of people.

There were especially many deaths since the country was not expecting a tsunami, and was not therefore prepared for an emergency evacuation. It is reported that due to ignorance, thousands of Sri Lanka’s went to learn of what had happened when the first of the three series of tsunami waves hit their coastline (Liu 119).

Usually, due to interactions with a coastline (often leading to a loss of energy), the first wave of a tsunami is often less devastating than those that follow after it. Thousands of people here were thus caught unaware and killed by the second wave of the 2004 tsunami.

The total number of people who were killed in Sri Lanka by the 2004 tsunami has been estimated to be around 31,000 in total (Liu 119). A larger proportion of those killed by the 2004 Tsunami consisted of women and children.

It is estimated that over 10,000 of those killed here during the tsunami disaster consisted of children (Liu 119). Apart from deaths, about seventeen thousand people were injured by the tsunami tragedy while more than five thousand were reported as missing (Liu 119).

Moreover, the overflowing waters of the 2004 tsunami resulted in a massive destruction of property along the Sri Lankan coastline. As a result of the 2004 tsunami tragedy, more than eighty thousand homes were destroyed; hence, displacing about a million individuals as a result.

So as to cater for the needs of the people who were displaced by the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, about 800 camps for the displaced were formed. Many of the people in these resettlement camps had lost their property and livelihoods as a result of the tsunami tragedy. Many others had to undergo psychological trauma due to the negative ways in which the tsunami had affected their ordinary living.

Apart from houses, many infrastructural facilities were destroyed by the 2004 tsunami; thus affecting transport, communication and also posing a reconstruction challenge. A lot of debris could be seen around all the areas that had been affected by the tsunami.

Besides, the 2004 tsunami affected the ground fresh water table through salinization of fresh water sources. It will take a lot of efforts and time to clean some of these water tables that were affected.

Since the Indian Ocean bed has been proven to contain lesser amounts of titanium as compared to the Pacific Ocean, more studies will be required before we can determine if large amounts of titanium was deposited inland during the 2004 tsunami.

Economic Impacts

The 2004 tsunami affected the economy of Sri Lanka in several negative ways. Many people lost their sources of livelihoods as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Some of these people who had lost their livelihoods had lost their businesses and houses, which had been destroyed by the destructive tsunami waves (Dawson 224).

Moreover, since a large community of the Sri Lankan population depends on fishing, many fishermen became poor as a result of losing their boats to the destructive tsunami waves that had hit their coastline (Dawson 224). A United Nations report on the 2004 tsunami catastrophe estimated that about two hundred thousand people in Sri Lanka were in danger of becoming poorer following the 2004 tsunami tragedy (Dawson 224).

Because a large part of hotels, beaches, among other tourist facilities were destroyed by the tsunami tragedy, the tourism economy of Sri Lanka was affected negatively. With no places were tourists could visit and relax, the number of tourists arrivals in Sri Lanka decreased significantly.

As a result, many people who were directly employed by the tourism sector lost their jobs. Moreover, due to a decrease in tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka was thus losing an important source of foreign exchange for developing her economy.

With a destruction of her infrastructure as a result of the tsunami tragedy, billions of dollars were needed for restructuring. With limited resources, it will be difficult to meet the cost of restructuring affected infrastructure. Meanwhile, as a result of infrastructural destruction, many businesses were affected negatively (Dawson 224).

Many of these businesses depend on telecommunication, electrical power, and transport to carry on with their day to day activities. Most of these businesses are small businesses that contributed positively to the Sri Lankan economy (through employment of people and paying of taxes).

Since most of these businesses have suffered from a displacement of people (hence a loss of market and human resource), and also from a physical damage of their properties and facilities, they have found themselves in a very repelling environment to operate in; thus, limiting their capacity and output to the Sri Lankan economy.

Measures that can be taken to Avoid Future Tsunami Disasters

No matter how much we prepare, we can never be ready for natural disasters. However, a possible measure of precautions and preparedness can help us to avoid, or minimize the destructive effects of natural disasters.

Although there is uncertainty on the effectiveness of using technology to mitigate the effects of natural disasters such as tsunamis, we should always work in the direction of utilizing such technologies if we can save a few lives as a result.

Together with several countries, the United States has developed and placed sensors at specific areas on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean. These pressure sensors have been designed to detect possible tsunami waves (UNEP 18).

Since tsunamis consist of waves that have rising and falling amplitudes, the resulting difference in the depth of water can cause pressure alterations at sea beds. These pressure alterations can thus be detected by pressure sensors at the seabed (Meihde 56).

However, since such a process of measurement is highly complex, it is very difficult for sensors at the sea bed to have accuracies that can detect tsunami waves. Still, the progress that has been made in using sensors to analyse data for a possible tsunami waves is positive (UNEP 12).

Moreover, since tsunamis interact with the coastline in a way that is difficult to predict, it is equally difficult to predict their behaviour. Sometimes, tsunami waves can add together or cancel one another; hence, making it difficult to determine their eventual behaviour (Meihde 56).

Several researchers remain uncertain if the tsunami warning technology in the Pacific Ocean can be replanted in the Indian Ocean. Still, Sri Lanka has been part of an ongoing program that has been working with several other countries to develop a system that can monitor for possible tsunamis before they occur (Liu 106).

Under the tsunami warning system, The Sri Lankan meteorological department will work together with Japanese technologies and the Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWC) to possibly help in the detection of future tsunamis (Yadav 107).

Although we do not have a reliable system of detecting tsunamis, the above development is progressive in developing reliable systems that can be useful in detecting and monitoring tsunamis before they hit a coastline (Andrew 23). However, since the Indian Ocean bed is different in structure and complexity to the Pacific Ocean bed, there is a need for scientists to develop a warning system that is unique to the Indian Ocean (Patra 362).

Currently, there has been a debate on whether to allow building of houses a few meters from the coastline (UNEP 21). Here, it will be useful to develop buildings that are protective and safe from tsunamis. Importantly, there is also a need to conserve the Sri Lankan coastline (Meihde 56).

A huge part of the coastline should be planted with mangrove forests (Patra 362). A thick cover of mangrove forests is useful in cutting and breaking tsunami waves before they move further inland (Yadav 107). Conservation of the Sri Lankan coastline will thus be useful in at least reducing possible damages that may occur from future tsunamis (Andrew 22).

Importantly, the political leadership in Sri Lanka has become more aware of damages that can result from natural disasters like tsunami attacks.

With such awareness, the political leadership in Sri Lanka can prepare for emergencies and move with speed to mitigate damages that can arise from similar disasters in the future (Patra 362). Here, it will be useful to develop a quick response system that can help in quick evacuations and treatments during times of natural disasters (Yadav 107).

An important area that needs to be utilised for the purposes of mitigating the effects of future natural disasters is the use of technology. Here, technology can especially be used to help in assessing the damage that could have occurred following the occurrence of a natural disaster (Patra 362).

Importantly, technology can be employed to communicate with the people who are in danger of being hit by a natural disaster (Andrew 22). It is fruitful to relay information to a target populace with instructions on where they can move to stay safe, what they can do, and how they can ask for help during such times (Meihde 56).

As we had seen earlier, a large number of people who died during the 2004 tsunami attack died from the second wave (Yadav 107). Having heard of what had happened, many people moved in ignorance to witness the effects of the first wave before the more deadly second wave hit (Yadav 107).

With the right communication, these people could have been told to stay away from the beach; hence, cutting on the number of fatalities that occurred (Patra 362). As it has been proven time and again, an effective system of coordination and communication is essential in saving lives during times of natural disasters (Andrew 23).

Natural disasters will always remain a part of us during our stay on planet earth. So as to minimize the loss of lives during natural disasters, it is useful for man to utilize all resources at his disposal to preserve lives during the occurrence of natural disasters.

Such a direction would involve understanding the science of natural disasters like tsunamis, and thus develop measures that can help in warning, planning and rescue programs when natural disasters strike. The 2004 tsunami has especially provided us with important lessons on the direction that we can adopt to prevent massive deaths during such disasters.

Adopting programs that are helpful in preparing for such disasters can be fruitful in saving many lives.

Such a direction would involve developing an efficient system of communication, designing and implementing a standby resource of manpower and machinery for emergencies, using technological systems to warn for possible oncoming disasters, and importantly, developing a system of peaceful coexistence with our natural environment (such as the planting of mangrove forests along coastlines to help in subduing tsunamis).

Works Cited

Abek, Kennedy, “Physical Size of Tsunamigenic Earthquakes from Tsunami Data.” Journal of Geography Research , volume 84.1 (2006): 1561-1568. Print

Andrew, John, “Tsunami Generated Forms.” Science of Tsunami Hazards 10.1 (2003): 21-34. Print

Damen, Michiel, What are Tsunamis? New York: McGraw, 2008. Print

Dawson, Foster “The Identification of Tsunami Deposits in Coastal Sediments.” Science of Tsunami Hazards 9.4 (2000): 206-423. Print

Hanson, Briggs, Sea level Change in North Iceland , London: McMillan, 2004. Print

Hassain, Kundsen, Effects of the 2004 Tsunami in India , Mumbai: McGraw, 2007 Print

Liu, Fearn, History of Tsunami Catastrophes , Beijing: McMillan, 2009. Print

Meihde, Mark, Characteristics of Tsunamis . New York: International Institute For geo-information Science Press, 2006 Print

Moore, Normark, Giant Hawaiian Landslides , New York: McMillan, 2005. Print

Patra, Singh, Agrochemical , Mumbai: McMillan, 1996. Print

UNEP, Early Warning Systems, New York: UNEP Press, 2011. Print Van, Frank, the Science of Tsunamis, New York: International Institute For geo-information Science Press, 2006 Print

Vitarana, Tissa, Sri Lanka after the Indian Ocean Tsunami New York: International Institute for geo-information Science Press, 2006 Print

Yadav, Agarwal, Soil, Water Conservation . Mumbai: Oxford, 2007. Print

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IvyPanda. (2019, July 9). The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-2004-tsunami-in-sri-lanka/

"The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka." IvyPanda , 9 July 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/the-2004-tsunami-in-sri-lanka/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka'. 9 July.

IvyPanda . 2019. "The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka." July 9, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-2004-tsunami-in-sri-lanka/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka." July 9, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-2004-tsunami-in-sri-lanka/.

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IvyPanda . "The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka." July 9, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-2004-tsunami-in-sri-lanka/.

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Tsunami (Disaster Management)

Table of Contents

This article deals with ‘ Tsunami (Disaster Management) .’ This is part of our series on ‘Disaster Management’, an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can  click here .

Introduction

Tsunami (Disaster Management)

Tsunamis are natural phenomena characterized by the occurrence of large waves in the ocean. These immense waves are primarily generated by sudden movements of the ocean floor, which cause a significant displacement of water. 

Causes of Tsunami

  • Underwater Earthquakes: When an earthquake occurs, particularly if it  originates under the ocean or near a coastline , it can lead to the generation of a tsunami. The seismic activity causes the ocean floor to shift abruptly, displacing enormous water. This displacement sets off a series of powerful waves propagating across the ocean, potentially reaching distant shores with devastating consequences.

Formation of Tsunami

  • Submarine or Terrestrial Landslides:  When a significant amount of sediment or rock collapses into the ocean, it displaces water and propagates outward waves.
  • Volcanic Eruptions:  Underwater volcanic eruptions can cause substantial disturbances to the ocean floor, leading to water displacement and tsunami formation. Similarly, volcanic collapses or explosions on islands or coastal areas can also generate tsunamis as the force of the eruption interacts with the surrounding water.
  • Asteroid, Meteor, or Comet Strikes:  In rare cases, tsunamis can be triggered by bolide impacts, such as asteroid, meteor, or comet strikes. These celestial bodies possess immense kinetic energy, and when they collide with the Earth’s surface or enter the ocean, they create a tremendous displacement of water, resulting in waves propagating outward, forming a tsunami. 

India and Tsunamis

The phenomenon of a tsunami, typically caused by earthquakes near seismically active areas in the Pacific Ocean, was historically uncommon in India. However, in December 2004, India was struck by a devastating tsunami on its east and west coasts, resulting in significant consequences.

  • Waves were   3-10 m high  and penetrated 300 metres to 3000 metres inland. 
  • Severe damage to life and property =>  confirmed death toll  in India was  12,405 & 5,640 people  are still unaccounted for. 
  • Maximum damage was observed in areas which destroyed their mangroves, forests & doing illegal mining.
  • However, Village  Naluvedapathy  experienced minimum destruction as they planted trees on the coast. 

Ways to deal with Tsunami

Disaster risk reduction (before tsunami).

  • Setting up Early Warning Systems : Installing advanced monitoring equipment and establishing a reliable communication network to detect tsunamis and provide timely warnings to coastal communities.
  • Structural Mitigation Measures:  Constructing sea walls and breakwaters along vulnerable coastal areas to provide a physical barrier against incoming tsunami waves
  • Mock Drills:  Organizing regular mock drills and evacuation exercises to practice emergency response procedures and familiarize residents with evacuation routes and shelter locations.
  • Planting trees along the coast:  Due to the protective benefits of coastal vegetation, such as trees, mangroves, forests, sand dunes, and coastal cliffs. 
  • Avoiding the destruction of Natural Barriers:  Implementing policies and regulations to prevent the destruction of mangroves, forests, sand dunes, and coastal cliffs, as they act as natural buffers against tsunamis.
  • Setting up proper Administrative Machinery:  Establishing efficient administrative systems responsible for monitoring, issuing warnings, and coordinating quick and efficient responses.  

Disaster Response (During Tsunami)

  • Rapid dissemination of Warnings:  Ensuring the prompt transmission of tsunami warnings to relevant authorities, including ports, fisheries, shipping industries, and the general public, using various communication channels.
  • Quick Evacuation System:  Conducting evacuations promptly and efficiently to move people away from the coastal areas to safer locations.
  • Helping survivors immediately after the Tsunami:  Mobilizing emergency response teams to provide immediate assistance to survivors, including medical aid, search and rescue operations, and essential supplies like food, water, clothing, and temporary shelter.

Recovery and Rehabilitation (After Tsunami)

  • Providing Livelihood Support:  Offering assistance and support to affected communities in rebuilding their livelihoods by providing financial aid, vocational training, and resources to help restore businesses.
  • Providing Housing : Assisting in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of housing for those who have lost their homes in the tsunami. It may involve building resilient and tsunami-resistant structures. 

Indian preparedness for Tsunami

The Indian government has shown significant commitment to enhancing its preparedness for tsunamis.

  • Tsunami Early Warning System:  The system has been designed to detect and provide warnings within 10 minutes of a submarine earthquake, providing time for the administration to start the evacuation process.
  • Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Science (INCOIS):  It is headquartered in Hyderabad and plays a pivotal role. It serves as the central hub from where all the monitoring and analysis of potential tsunami threats are carried out. 
  • High Frequency (HF) Radars : These radars allow for the continuous monitoring of coastal currents, which helps in understanding the behaviour of the ocean currents and identifying any abnormal patterns that could potentially indicate the presence of a tsunami. 
  • Strengthening Infrastructure : India has constructed coastal embankments, sea walls, and tsunami shelters in vulnerable areas to provide safe havens during emergencies.
  • Public Awareness and Education:  The Indian government has initiated extensive awareness campaigns to educate coastal communities about the risks and preparedness measures associated with tsunamis through various mediums such as television, radio, print media, and social media platforms along with Community drills, workshops, and training programs.

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2dh numerical study of solitary wave processes around an idealized reef-fringed island.

tsunami disaster essay

1. Introduction

2. model and validation, 2.1. introduction of the numerical method, 2.2. model validation, 3. typical propagation process around a reef-fringed island, 4. effects of morphological and hydrodynamic parameters, 5. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Click here to enlarge figure

Case No.H (m)h (m)w (m)h (m)cot θcot βn D (m)
Case 1260.54003440.092016
Case 1A260.5---4-2016
Group No.H (m)h (m)w (m)h (m)cot θcot βn D (m)
Group 1260.54001~6440.092016
Group 2260.540034~1840.092016
Group 3260.550~8003440.092016
Group 4260.54003440.02~0.092016
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Liu, W.; Qian, F.; Ning, Y.; Cheng, R. 2DH Numerical Study of Solitary Wave Processes around an Idealized Reef-Fringed Island. Water 2024 , 16 , 1991. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16141991

Liu W, Qian F, Ning Y, Cheng R. 2DH Numerical Study of Solitary Wave Processes around an Idealized Reef-Fringed Island. Water . 2024; 16(14):1991. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16141991

Liu, Weijie, Feng Qian, Yue Ning, and Rongliang Cheng. 2024. "2DH Numerical Study of Solitary Wave Processes around an Idealized Reef-Fringed Island" Water 16, no. 14: 1991. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16141991

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Hurricane Beryl Batters Jamaica as 2 Other Islands Lie in Ruin

The powerful storm, which devastated communities in the eastern Caribbean earlier this week, was headed next to the Cayman Islands.

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A view from above of seaside homes wrecked by a storm.

By Emiliano Rodríguez Mega and Maria Abi-Habib

Reporting from Mexico City

Jamaica was still being hammered by strong winds and heavy rain early Thursday as Hurricane Beryl passed its southern coast, having claimed at least one life on the island. The powerful storm, which devastated communities in the eastern Caribbean earlier in the week, was headed next to the Cayman Islands.

Beryl, which was downgraded after midnight to a Category 3 storm, has killed at least eight people in total. Virtually every building on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada, where the storm made landfall on Monday as a Category 4 hurricane, lay in ruins, with marinas and a hospital destroyed, rooftops torn away and tree trunks snapped like matchsticks across the drenched earth.

“We have to rebuild from the ground up,” said Dickon Mitchell, the prime minister of Grenada.

Beryl was expected to remain a dangerous hurricane as it passed just south of the Caymans, where forecasters said the storm surge could raise water levels by up to four feet.

In Mexico, officials warned that the country could be hit twice in the coming days. Most of the eastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun, were under a hurricane warning as of early Thursday. By the weekend, Beryl is expected to emerge into the Gulf of Mexico, where it could restrengthen into a hurricane.

In Jamaica, hundreds of thousands of households lost power, and several communities were flooded. Officials warned that the full extent of the damage was not yet clear. Beryl was the strongest storm to approach the island in over a decade. The last time a major hurricane passed within 70 miles of Jamaica was in 2007, and it has been even longer since one made landfall.

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    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.

  12. Tsunami: Compilation of Essays on Tsunami

    Essay on Preparedness for Tsunamis. Essay # 1. Definition of Tsunami: The word tsunami is a Japanese word, represented by two characters: tsu, meaning, 'harbour', and nami meaning, 'wave'. Tsunami is a set of ocean waves caused by any large, abrupt disturbance on the sea- surface. If the disturbance is close to the coastline, local ...

  13. 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. Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions ...

  14. Tsunami Geological Origin

    Tsunami Geological Origin Essay. Figure 1. Japanese tsunami (Japanese tsunami 2011). Tsunami is one of the most dangerous large-scale hazards. It is chosen as a primary topic for the essay, as it is the most hazardous and unpredictable natural phenomenon. Despite the rapid development of technology, a tsunami is variable.

  15. Essay on Tsunami

    Essay on Tsunami; Essay on Tsunami. Decent Essays. Improved Essays. Superior Essays. Great Essays. Brilliant Essays ... A Tsunami is a natural disaster and can be generated by any large, impulsive displacement of the sea level. An example of this is earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 or greater, landslides into or under the water surface ...

  16. Essay On Tsunami The Natural Disaster

    Essay on Tsunami the Natural Disaster - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Tsunami is generated by earthquakes that displace large volumes of water and create enormous waves. Unlike typical waves at the surface, tsunamis stretch to the seafloor and can travel hundreds of kilometers per hour.

  17. INTERVIEW: 'Education has power to save lives,' survivors say, ahead of

    As for World Tsunami Awareness Day, he said "it is important that the world can not only mark an occasion to remember the victims of the disasters that have changed the course of history, and the course of many of our lives, but also to raise the awareness that we can prepare better and can avoid future deaths." "It's never easy to go back to the moment of a tsunami and what happened in ...

  18. Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples

    In a tsunami disaster essay, you could describe a historical tragedy and analyze its causes. Wildfire: This type of disaster starts when lightning hits a tree in the wood or due to man-made causes. It is an unplanned and uncontrolled spread of fire in natural areas with combustible vegetation.

  19. Essay On Tsunami 2004

    Essay on The Tsunami Disaster. The Tsunami Disaster At 0059 GMT on 26 December 2004, a magnitude 9 earthquake ripped apart the seafloor off the coast of northwest Sumatra. Over 100 years of accumulated stress was released in the second biggest earthquake in recorded history. It unleashed a devastating tsunami that travelled thousands of ...

  20. Natural Disasters Essay for Students & Children

    500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters. A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it. Some of them are earthquakes, cyclones, floods, Tsunami, landslides, volcanic eruption, and avalanches.Spatial extent measures the degree or severity of the disaster.

  21. The Causes and Consequences of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka ...

    The 2004 tsunami affected the economy of Sri Lanka in several negative ways. Many people lost their sources of livelihoods as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Some of these people who had lost their livelihoods had lost their businesses and houses, which had been destroyed by the destructive tsunami waves (Dawson 224).

  22. 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

    On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (), a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2-9.3 M w struck with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia.The undersea megathrust earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate, and reached a Mercalli ...

  23. Tsunami (Disaster Management)

    The phenomenon of a tsunami, typically caused by earthquakes near seismically active areas in the Pacific Ocean, was historically uncommon in India. However, in December 2004, India was struck by a devastating tsunami on its east and west coasts, resulting in significant consequences. Waves were 3-10 m high and penetrated 300 metres to 3000 ...

  24. Water

    In order to better understand the role of coral reefs around an isolated island in mitigating tsunami hazards, this study performed a horizontally two-dimensional (2DH) numerical study of tsunami-like solitary wave propagation and run-up around an idealized reef-fringed island. The shock-capturing Boussinesq wave model, the FUNWAVE-TVD is used in the present study and well-validated with ...

  25. Hurricane Beryl Batters Jamaica After Pummeling 2 Other Islands

    The first confirmed death in Jamaica because of the storm came when a woman was killed as a tree fell on her house in the western parish of Hanover, the head of the country's disaster agency ...