Definition
A series of large ocean waves caused by sudden, violent underwater disturbances such as earthquakes, underwater landslides, or volcanic eruptions. These waves can travel across ocean basins at high speeds and cause devastating coastal flooding and destruction.
Example Usage
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused catastrophic damage across multiple countries and killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Origin
From Japanese 'tsu' (harbor) + 'nami' (wave), literally meaning 'harbor wave'.
Fun Fact
Tsunamis can travel across entire ocean basins at speeds up to 500 mph in deep water, yet in shallow coastal areas they slow down but increase dramatically in height.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
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