what are tsunamis?
Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation: harbour wave. In the past, tsunamis have been referred to as tidal waves or seismic sea waves. The term tidal wave is misleading; even though a tsunami's impact upon a coastline is dependent upon the tidal level at the time a tsunami strikes, tsunamis are unrelated to the tides. (Tides result from the gravitational influences of the moon, sun, and planets.) The term seismic sea wave is also misleading.