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From tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, and earthquakes – it’s hard to remember that even tsunamis can be added to the long list of natural disasters and weather patterns that are negatively impacted by climate change.
Tsunami waves, also known as a seismic sea wave, can elicit devastating tsunamis that can prove as detrimental as other natural disasters and effect entire ocean basins. Therefore, an official tsunami warning will often be issued via tsunami warning centers.
In this article, we’ll explore what tsunamis are, how they impact coast areas, how they are different from other natural disasters, and how fighting against climate change could alter the trajectory for future tsunamis.
Tsunamis refer to a series of large ocean waves that are usually caused by massive disturbances in large bodies of water: such as by the deep ocean floor and seas part of the Pacific Ocean.
Often, these disturbances which generate tsunamis can be triggered by:
👉 It isn’t unusual for people to refer to tsunamis as a, “tidal wave” – but this is incorrect, seeing as tsunamis are not caused by tides. In fact, tsunamis are dissimilar to the ocean waves we are used to – seeing as tsunamis don’t “fall apart” the way that a surfer or swimmer would feel in an ocean.
Seismic tsunamis are also different from regular ocean waves as:
👉 Tsunamis usually occur in the Pacific Ocean, making areas such as Japan, Alaska, Australia, Chile, and the Philippines most vulnerable to tsunamis. As a result of this tsunami hazard zone, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was developed and is based in Honolulu, Hawaii and works to help residents avoid large tsunami risk as well as to issue natural tsunami warnings.
Tsunamis embody multiple waves that flee to the shore and act as a fast rising tide. This is caused by the underwater disturbance. Once a tsunami has reached the shore, it turns into a speedy tide that moves inland – eventually invading buildings, residences, and coastal communities.
Tsunamis, just like other natural disasters, can cause catastrophic damage once they hit the coast – as they prey on low-lying residences, impact infrastructure, and can even result in death.
Tsunamis impact our social environment by:
Tsunamis impact our infrastructure by:
Tsunamis impact the economy by:
Tsunamis impact our environment by:
Various marine environment changes that can impact ecosystems, biodiversity, and ultimately climate change
Since tsunamis are not as well known or likely as other natural disasters, the unawareness on the importance of tsunami preparedness is often the biggest culprit to the mass destruction of property and lives lost.
👉 Unlike other natural disasters that can be predicted (such as hurricanes and tornadoes), tsunamis are more like earthquakes as in they could happen at any moment without warning. In general, if you can already see a tsunami on the rise in the distance – outrunning it isn’t possible.
Therefore, implementing early warning systems and seeking to educate those living in areas vulnerable to tsunamis on preparedness measures is imperative to help reduce the impact of tsunamis on society.
You can further protect yourself from tsunamis by:
People often associate tsunamis with hurricanes seeing as much of their damage is caused by water, whether it be a combination of strong winds, flooding, or precipitation – but the two natural disasters aren’t as alike as everyone thinks.
Here is a breakdown of how tsunamis are not the same as hurricanes:
Tsunamis happen as a result of activity occurring below the earth – such as underwater earthquakes, volcanic activity, or landslides. However, hurricanes are caused by tropical cyclones that develop above warm ocean waters and are influenced by atmospheric conditions and weather patterns. Ultimately, tsunamis occur from underground activity and hurricanes from atmospheric conditions – making their roots of origin completely different.
Tsunamis are known for their wavelengths and don’t need strong wind or precipitation to cause damage, whereas hurricanes are more similar to a full-on storm – where damage is caused by water in combination with strong winds and heavy precipitation.
👉 Tsunamis do not need external weather factors to provoke more damage the way that hurricanes do.
Both tsunamis and hurricanes remain most vulnerable to coastal communities. However, tsunamis can travel further distances than hurricanes can – eliciting more damage inland than a hurricane will. This is because hurricanes travel by wind and affect coast regions in their “flight” paths.
Tsunamis, unlike hurricanes, cannot be predicted as it is difficult to monitor underwater seismic activity. Therefore, hurricanes have the upper hand over tsunamis – as they can be tracked days beforehand and allow people time to prepare for evacuation if necessary.
Both tsunamis and hurricanes can cause extreme destruction, especially in coastal areas – but hurricanes are usually prone to cause more extensive damage due to the fact hurricanes act in combination with strong winds and heavy precipitation. This results in more flooding and infrastructure issues than tsunamis usually have the power to cause.
| Category | Tsunamis | Hurricanes |
|---|---|---|
| How It Happens | Result from underwater earthquakes, volcanic activity, or landslides. | Caused by tropical cyclones developing above warm ocean waters and influenced by atmospheric conditions and weather patterns. |
| The Nature of the Disaster | Characterised by long wavelengths and do not require strong wind or precipitation to cause damage. | Resemble full-on storms with damage caused by water, strong winds, and heavy precipitation. |
| Affected Areas by Geography | Primarily impact coastal communities but can travel further inland than hurricanes. | Impact coastal regions in their path and are less capable of traveling far inland. |
| Warning Tactics | Cannot be predicted easily due to the difficulty in monitoring underwater seismic activity. | Can be tracked days in advance, allowing for preparation and evacuation. |
| Overall Impact | Cause significant destruction, particularly in coastal areas, but typically result in less extensive flooding and infrastructure damage compared to hurricanes. | Cause extensive damage due to the combination of strong winds, heavy precipitation, and resulting flooding. |
Not all natural disasters are influenced by climate change, but tsunamis sure are.
There are many scientific explanations as to how climate change can aggravate tsunamis to be even worse for the economy, society, and the environment. For instance, the biggest threat to tsunamis are rising sea levels – which are being aggravated by climate change. The reason that rising sea levels can make tsunamis even worse than they already are is because higher sea levels can allow for tsunamis to travel further inland and cause even more damage.
👉 Think of when an ocean wave finally reaches your feet – it’s a lot calmer than when it was still active out in the deep waters of the ocean, right? Rising sea levels will cause approaching waves to the shore to be more erratic, and can impact the severity of tsunamis with a greater risk of coastal inundation.
Also, it has been theorised that ocean warming, caused by climate change, can impact the tectonic plates that rest below large bodies of water. Ultimately, this can result in more geological activities and in turn – worse tsunamis. Climate change has also affected ocean patterns, which could eventually lead to tsunamis distributing themselves across the ocean and impacting other areas of the world.
The bottom line is that climate change has a direct impact on tsunamis, and the more that climate change worsens – the more likely it is that tsunamis will, too.
Given that climate change has created undesirable circumstances that have allowed tsunamis to grow stronger and more dangerous to both people and the planet, it is probable that fighting against climate change could help to reduce the future impact of tsunamis.
👉 However, it is important to remember that measures to fight against global warming (such as reducing emissions and implementing sustainable practices) will not have an immediate or direct effect on tsunamis.
In addition to this, seeking to build climate resilience in coastal communities and avoiding ocean acidification (both of which are forms of fighting climate change) can also help to reduce the severity of future tsunamis.
Here is why fighting climate change will indirectly help to avoid tsunamis:
Ultimately, tsunamis are a natural disaster that will either improve or worsen depending on how we as a world decide to tackle climate change – and the good news is that it isn’t too late to take action for the better.
If reading this article about how tsunamis are impacted by climate change has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
The continued threat climate change has on various natural disasters and ultimately your business can be overwhelming, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help your company to build climate resilience and remain functional during a natural disaster.
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