tsunami: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 10, 2026

News •

Medieval Humans Partly Caused Two Catastrophic Lake Tsunamis, And We Could Easily Do It Again, Scientists Warn • Nov. 3, 2026, 8:02 PM ET (ScienceAlert)

Facts

Also Known As	tidal wave • seismic sea wave

Photos and Videos

Aceh, Indonesia: tsunami aftermath

Diagram showing the stages of a tsunami, from its generation at the earthquake epicenter under the ocean, through wave propagation across open water, to cresting and inundation as the waves reach and flood coastal land.

Banda Aceh, Indonesia, before and after the 2004 tsunami

Map of the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico highlighting the location and circular outline of the Chicxulub crater, which is about 180 kilometers in diameter and partly extends into the Gulf of Mexico. The map also shows nearby cities such as Merida, Cancun, Campeche, and Playa del Carmen, as well as international borders with Belize and Guatemala. An inset globe marks the region's location in the Americas.

Map of the Pacific Ocean showing the spread of the tsunami generated by the 1960 Chile earthquake, with colored contour lines indicating the travel time in hours of the wave front from the earthquake's epicenter near Valdivia, Chile. The map highlights how the tsunami radiated outward, reaching locations such as Hawaii, Japan, and the U.S. West Coast, with time intervals labeled in increments of five hours.

The video thumbnail image shows a woman trying to break a bundle of pasta strands as part of a scientific demonstration.

How Tsunamis Form from Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Landslides

Pixelated window with the text TSUNAMI OR WAVE? and a large cursor overlaying a background of a large wave hitting the coast.

Can We Predict Natural Disasters?

Constructing a European tsunami warning system

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Topics

meteotsunami Five Years Later: The Great Sendai Earthquake What Causes Tsunamis?How Do Scientists Predict Tsunamis After Earthquakes?What Is the Difference Between a Meteotsunami, a Seiche, and a Storm Surge?earthquake tsunami warning system Seismic Sea Wave Warning System volcanic eruption landslide famine avalanche Wildfire flood drought Forest fire lahar Storm capillary wave Why is the Huang He river known as China’s Sorrow?

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earthquake: Tsunamis

Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005.

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