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Tsunami

(Japanese for "Harbour Wave"). A series of huge ocean waves caused by a rapid, large-scale disturbance of the sea water, such as a major earthquake beneath the seabed that causes large vertical movements. In deep water, Tsunami waves are less than a metre high, but they can travel at speeds exceeding 800 kilometres per hour and can easily cross an entire ocean basin. When they reach shallow water or narrow inlets the waves slow down and the height can build into a wall of water which causes devastation on the shore.

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  • Part of Speech: noun
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  • Industry/Domain: Earth science
  • Category: Seismology
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