A tsunami is usually caused by a major undersea earthquake (an earthquake on the ocean floor).
Sometimes, it can also be triggered by a volcanic eruption or a meteorite impact.
In deep water, the wave itself is often quite low, but it travels at tremendous speed.
As soon as the wave reaches shallow coastal waters, it slows down, causing the water to pile up into a wall—meters high—that surges onto land with immense destructive force.
Sometimes, just before the wave arrives, the sea suddenly recedes hundreds of meters (a 'drawback' effect), which is a crucial warning sign of danger.
The impact on coastal areas is almost always devastating, bringing the risk of flooding, building collapses, and casualties.
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