Tsunami

TSUNAMI

A tsunami is a disastrous long wave,that is caused by coastal earthquake or volcanic eruptions.It travels across the ocean at tremendous speed.To a depth of 4000 meters for instance, the corresponding wave speed is about 720 kilometers per hour. In open ocean the height of tsunami may be more than one metre and thus passed unnoticed .The speed of tsunami is reduced when it approaches the continents where the height increases dramatically and causes enormous destruction of life and property.

Twenty sixth December, 2004 has witnessed a destructive Tsunami waves, which destroyed more life and property of the people of Indonesia, Sri lanka and India. Over 8000 people were killed following a massive undersea earthquake of Sumatra. In Indonesia over 28000 were killed and 4500 in Thailand as the quake triggered tidal waves lashed the regions.Tamilnadu is also the most affected state in the world by tsunami.Most of the coastal areas in Tamilnadu particularly Kanyakumari,Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts were damaged greatly.

Tsunamis do not have a season and do not occur regularly or frequently. Yet they pose a  major threat to the coastal populations all over the world. Nothing can be done to prevent them as it is nature, but adverse impact on taking necessary measures in full fledged manner to fix a machine to identify the tsunami before it occurs.

The vagaries of monsoon very often results in twin problems such as floods and droughts. 

Image via Wikipedia