The Tsunami, those gigantic waves that destroy everything in their path. Although they are a natural phenomenon, and despite the fact that most of them occur on the Pacific and Indian coasts, this does not mean that they cannot be found in any other part of the world.
You should not be afraid of them, but you do have to respect and understand how they are formed and what are their main characteristics. So, let's talk about 5 things you didn't know about tsunamis.
Tsunamis can travel several thousand km at breakneck speed
These phenomena cannot be predicted, but it is known that, as it gets closer to the earth, they increase in size and speed. In fact, they can travel more than 17.000km at a speed of no more and no less than 700km / h, that is to say, at an incredible speed.
They don't just bring a wave
Did you think they only had one? The reality is that these phenomena never, or practically never, come alone. Most of them usually bring more than one wave, which is why they cause much more damage than a single wave would.
Any major movement on the ground can cause them
We tend to think that tsunamis appear after an earthquake, but these are not the only causes. If a meteor or asteroid hits the earth, it can also cause them, who is precisely what happened 3,46 million years ago. At that time, the planet was completely covered in water.
Tsunamis in Japan could reach San Francisco
And it would only take a few 10 hours. Incredible true? The speed at which the waves travel is astonishing. By the way, do you know who warns of possible tsunamis? The Pacific Tsunami Assistance Center, which is in Honolulu.
The sea sometimes recedes before they occur
Although there are not many signs that tell us that they will occur, sometimes the sea recedes enough to expose a large portion of the seabed.
Tsunamis are spectacular phenomena, but you have to be attentive to the weather warnings to avoid problems.