Tsunamis are series of ocean waves caused by underwater seismic activity or volcanic activity. Several countries all around the world are being affected by this type of natural disaster and even though usually small tsunamis do not cause much damage, the giant waves are a threat.
A tsunami while reaching the shore full of people. http://www.positivestart.org/images/china_2002_wave_350.jpgThe tsunami from December 2004 was generated by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake and its waves devastated the Indian Ocean region as well as some parts of South-East Asia causing the death of around 230,000 people. As tsunamis are a natural disaster, we cannot prevent them but we can use early warning systems and community preparedness to minimize the effects and destruction. In response to the 2004 disaster, the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) along with the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission began to cooperate and established Tsunami Warning Systems (TWS) in the areas of the world where the tsunami occurred, while the NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Center and the Japan Meteorological Agency provided warnings to countries all over the world.
English: A picture of the 2004 tsunami in Ao Nang,...
English: Diagram of the Deep-ocean Assessment and ...
English: Water Column Height at DART II Station 21...A Tsunami Warning System (TWS) is a system which is supposed to detect the tsunami and send out warnings to places that are in danger to prevent the loss of many human lives as well as loss of property. The TWS has a tsunami detecting network of sensors and an alarming system which provides time to evacuate the coastal areas and other areas that are in risk of being hit by the wave. The warning systems have sensors which pick up seismic waves and the earthquake is immediately detected by seismologists because the seismic waves travel with the speed of 14,400 km/h, which gives time for possible tsunami warning because the waves travel with the speed of 500-1000 km/h in open water. However, this system...