A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Tsunamis
A tsunami is a series of huge ocean waves created by an underwater disturbance. Causes include earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, or meteorites--chunks of rock from space that strike the surface of Earth. A tsunami can move hundreds of miles per hour in the open ocean. It can smash into land with waves as high as 100 feet or more and cause devastating floods. Drowning is the most common cause of death related to a tsunami.
Although there are no guarantees of safety during a tsunami, you can take actions to protect yourself. You should have a disaster plan. Being prepared can help reduce fear, anxiety and losses.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
- No links available
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Overviews
- Tsunami(American Red Cross)
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Tsunami
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
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Tsunami Awareness(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
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Related Issues
- Landslides and Mudslides(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Research
- NOAA Center for Tsunami Research(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Tsunami Vocabulary and Terminology(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
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Organizations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Also available in Spanish
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Also available in Spanish
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Statistics
- Recent and Historical Tsunami Events and Relevant Data(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
- Summary of Natural Hazard Statistics for 2011 in the United States(National Weather Service) - PDF
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Children
- Tsunamis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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