• Question: are sunamis erartquakes?

    Asked by dabasi4 to Amy, Drew, Julia, Kimberley, Sara on 16 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by lthompson.
    • Photo: Drew Rae

      Drew Rae answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Hi Dabisi. If you have an earthquake on the ocean floor, the energy can create Tsunamis. So tsunamis are not actually earthquakes, but they are one of the possible results of earthquakes. It’s a double whammy for the people nearby. First they get an earthquake, then a massive wave and flood.

    • Photo: Julia Griffen

      Julia Griffen answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      They are earthquakes under the sea… which cause a massive wave!

    • Photo: Kimberley Bryon

      Kimberley Bryon answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Hey dabasi. I think that Drew has already explained this really well. If you want more detail though just ask

    • Photo: Amy MacQueen

      Amy MacQueen answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Yo! Good question – think Drew got in here before us though!! 🙂

    • Photo: Sara Imari Walker

      Sara Imari Walker answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hello dabsi! Tsunamis aren’t earthquakes, but as Drew has nice described, they are most often the result of earthquakes. Other things that can cause tsunamis include volcanoes (yes! there are even volcanos under the water), under water explosions, and meteorite impacts in the ocean. Tsunami’s are the result of the massive displacement of water. Its easy to see how this could happen if you take a flat tray of water and start shaking it around. Or trying throwing a ball directly downward in the water. In each case you generate massive waves. Those are the equivalent of ocean tsunamis. Beautiful but deadly!

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