What will I learn about: how 80 percent of tsunamis are triggered by underwater earthquakes and how historical disasters led to the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System?

Discover how 80 percent of tsunamis are triggered by underwater earthquakes and how historical disasters led to the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System.

What will I learn about: Learn about the hidden dangers of freshwater tsunamis in lakes and fjords, which are triggered by massive landslides and can strike with zero warning?

Learn about the hidden dangers of freshwater tsunamis in lakes and fjords, which are triggered by massive landslides and can strike with zero warning.

What will I learn about: why global warming is increasing the frequency of unexpected freshwater tsunamis by melting glaciers and destabilizing surrounding landmasses?

Understand why global warming is increasing the frequency of unexpected freshwater tsunamis by melting glaciers and destabilizing surrounding landmasses.

What will I learn about: how indigenous oral histories and ancient legends, like the Maori tales of water monsters, are providing crucial clues to guide modern scientific tsunami research?

Find out how indigenous oral histories and ancient legends, like the Maori tales of water monsters, are providing crucial clues to guide modern scientific tsunami research.

What will I learn about: Explore how combining ancient folklore, geological evidence, and harrowing survivor stories can help us better prepare for and react to future natural disasters?

Explore how combining ancient folklore, geological evidence, and harrowing survivor stories can help us better prepare for and react to future natural disasters.

Tsunami

The World's Greatest Waves

James Goff and Walter Dudley

★ 4.6 / 5(32 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

Society & Culture History

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡What's the secret to predicting the next devastating tsunami?
💡Are you curious about the ancient legends that hold the key to understanding these natural disasters?
💡What if you could learn from the past to protect yourself and your loved ones from the fury of the ocean?

Listen to Tsunami — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Tsunami

✓Discover how 80 percent of tsunamis are triggered by underwater earthquakes and how historical disasters led to the creation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System.
✓Learn about the hidden dangers of freshwater tsunamis in lakes and fjords, which are triggered by massive landslides and can strike with zero warning.
✓Understand why global warming is increasing the frequency of unexpected freshwater tsunamis by melting glaciers and destabilizing surrounding landmasses.
✓Find out how indigenous oral histories and ancient legends, like the Maori tales of water monsters, are providing crucial clues to guide modern scientific tsunami research.
✓Explore how combining ancient folklore, geological evidence, and harrowing survivor stories can help us better prepare for and react to future natural disasters.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Tsunami

Mind Map

Tsunami

Causes & Mechanics+

Historical Case Studies+

Research & Knowledge+

Preparedness & Survival+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6

What is the primary trigger for approximately 80 percent of all tsunamis?

A. Underwater volcanic eruptions that displace massive amounts of ocean water.
B. Fault line ruptures that result in vertical slips large enough to disturb the ocean water.
C. Giant oceanic landslides caused by shifting tectonic plates.
D. Severe meteorological events like hurricanes and typhoons.

Question 2 of 6

Why is the threat of freshwater tsunamis increasing in modern times?

A. Rising sea levels are causing ocean water to spill over into freshwater lakes and rivers.
B. Increased tectonic activity near major inland fault lines is triggering larger earthquakes.
C. Global warming is causing glaciers to retreat, leaving steep fjord valleys unsupported and prone to massive landslides.
D. Man-made dams are failing at a higher rate due to aging infrastructure and heavier rainfall.

Question 3 of 6

What role do ancient oral histories, such as the Maori tales of the 'Taniwha', play in the modern study of tsunamis?

A. They provide scientists with exact dates and wave heights of prehistoric tsunamis.
B. They serve primarily as cultural myths to educate children about general ocean safety.
C. They help guide scientific research by pointing to locations where geological evidence of past tsunamis can be found.
D. They are used to predict the exact locations of future fault line ruptures.

Question 4 of 6

What was the primary reason the 2004 Indonesian tsunami was so devastating, despite not being the largest tsunami in history?

A. The affected populations ignored the local tsunami sirens and evacuation orders.
B. The tsunami occurred at night, making it impossible to see the physical warning signs.
C. The earthquake that triggered it lasted for over an hour, destroying all infrastructure beforehand.
D. There was no active tsunami warning system in place in Indonesia to unify and broadcast alerts.

Question 5 of 6

Why did Japan's extensive tsunami warning system fail to prevent mass casualties during the 2011 disaster?

A. The warning system's wave height assumptions were based on distant events, leading to a forecast that severely underestimated the danger.
B. The magnitude 9.5 earthquake destroyed the power grid, rendering the warning sirens completely silent.
C. Citizens had become fatigued by frequent false alarms and largely ignored the official evacuation orders.
D. The system was designed only to detect freshwater tsunamis and completely missed the oceanic threat.

Question 6 of 6

According to the text, what major psychological barrier prevents many people from effectively escaping an approaching tsunami?

A. The belief that they can simply outrun the waves if they wait until the last minute.
B. The 'deer in the headlights' syndrome, where people freeze because the event is so outside their normal experience.
C. A cultural tendency to prioritize saving material possessions over personal safety.
D. The assumption that modern infrastructure and seawalls will always hold back the water.

Tsunami — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Most tsunamis happen in the oceans and are caused by large earthquakes.
3Freshwater tsunamis are much rarer, yet can still be just as dangerous.
4Oral histories and Indigenous knowledge can guide scientific research on tsunamis.
5Tsunami warning systems are improving, but there is still work to do.
6Evacuation drills and tsunami education can help save lives.

Tsunami Summary & Overview

Tsunami (2021) uses a combination of ancient legends, scientific research, and survivor stories to take readers on an in-depth learning journey about some of the most significant tsunamis that have occurred throughout history. Through detailed descriptions of these incredible natural disasters, it teaches us that the lessons we learn from the past can help us live a safer future.

Who Should Listen to Tsunami?

Anyone interested in learning about tsunamis
History buffs
Fans of natural disaster stories

About the Author: James Goff and Walter Dudley

James Goff is an honorary professor of tsunami research at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and former director of the Australia-Pacific Tsunami Research Centre at UNSW. He’s written and coedited over 250 peer-reviewed publications and has appeared in numerous documentaries.

Walter Dudley is a professor emeritus of marine geology and oceanography at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. He’s published six books about tsunamis, written multiple peer-reviewed journals, and has appeared in over 30 documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Disney, and many others.

Tsunami

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Tsunami — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Tsunami

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Tsunami — Full Chapter Overview

Tsunami Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Tsunami?

About the Author: James Goff and Walter Dudley

Books Similar to Tsunami