Generation of Tsunami Waves 1

A tsunami is generated when a sudden displacement of a large volume of water occurs. Typically, the undersea disturbance is the result of an earthquake, a vol-canic eruption, or an undersea landslide. When an earthquake occurs along a subduction zone, the leading edge of the overriding plate breaks free and springs forward, raising the sea floor and the water. Part of the tsunami travels toward the nearby land with very long wavelengths (hundreds of miles) in deep water and growing in height as the water depth decreases