Tsunami is Deadly in Samoa Islands

How does a tsunami start and why does it cause so much destruction?

A tsunami is a series of waves, made in an ocean or other body of water by an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite impact. Tsunamis can cause huge destruction when they hit coastlines.

A tsunami wave in the open ocean can be more than 300 feet across. Tsunami waves are huge and can travel very quickly, at about 400 miles per hour. The warnings are often not fast enough for people to flee and the tsunami is relentless and moves faster than a person can run.

A few minutes before a tsunami wave hits, the water near shore may move away, exposing the ocean floor. Often the first wave may not be the largest, and additional waves may arrive at the coast every 10 to 60 minutes.

Today's massive earthquake in Samoa, followed by a devastating tsunami, caused people to be swept out to sea by the fast-churning water. Signs of devastation were everywhere and the death toll is rising.

The trail of this storm is not over. The National Weather Service has issued a tsunami advisory for California coastal areas after a 7.9 earthquake in American Samoa. The waves are expected to arrive about 9 p.m. PST and be 1 to 2 feet higher than normal along the coast, and could cause strong currents or waves dangerous to people in or near the water. L.A. County lifeguards were to clear beaches at 8 p.m.

Written by Cheryl Phillips
Exclusive to HULIQ

sources: MSNBC, LA Times, Wikipedia