Japan is a country that has only islands and there is no mainland.The position of this country in the Pacific Ocean is on the edge of the three tectonic plates. Any movement in these plates can cause earthquakes and tsunamis.A massive tsunami is caused when an earthquake strikes the land beneath the ocean near the Pacific coast. The Pacific tsunami warning system has been formed for early detection of the tsunami waves so that loss is averted.When an earthquake occurs entire oceans and coast are affected. Life underwater is disrupted and there is a complete disaster. Corals die and fish are killed. The worst disaster happens when these waves meet the land. People on the coast are highly stressed and affected, but in case of a tsunami, the major part of the land of Japan is affected. The oceans too have tsunami waves but we can not see them with the naked eye.As we know there are frequent earthquakes and tsunamis that occurred in Japan and killed many people. Even if the magnitude of the earthquakes is not much they affect the infrastructure work in progress. These earthquakes also affect the fish found in the Pacific region.Japan is among the worst tsunami-hit countries known in history. The whole country has been wiped off. The Japanese people began from scratch and have a beautiful country to themselves again. The people are very hardworking and strong-willed despite these natural disasters.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about Japanese cherry blossom trees or Japanese art facts here at Kidadl?How many times has Japan been struck by tsunamis?Japan is a country made up of a weak string of islands at sea. They are not joined to each other. History has witnessed Japan being hit by many destructive earthquakes and tsunamis.There have been around 142 tidal waves that had the magnitude of a tsunami. Since the year 684, a total of 130,974 Japanese people have been killed in Japan alone. An earthquake and tsunami occur often in this country. They mostly vary in the magnitude and disaster created. The strongest tsunami tidal wave that has been noted on the Pacific coast in Japan was a height of 295 ft (90 m). It created a crisis for the Japanese population.The people of Japan have been suffering from severe damages and disasters that have been occurring time and again. Tsunamis are so often that the people of Japan are always ready with a food and water bag ready.How does a tsunami happen?When there is movement in the tectonic plates on the surface of the Earth, earthquakes occur. When this earthquake happens below the sea, there are huge tsunami waves created.When the magnitude of this earthquake is high, the tsunami waves formed can be as high as 100 ft (31 m). They can travel as fast as 400 mph (644 kph). We can not even begin to fathom the amount of loss that such an earthquake and tsunami can create. A small country like Japan gets affected adversely. The coastal population is forced to move in towards the land but this is not a good option in Japan as most of it is mountains.So we can easily say that high magnitude tsunamis can be created due to landslides, massive volcanic eruptions, or a meteorite impact that happens in the ocean. Mostly, a large-scale earthquake is the reason behind a tsunami. It happens at a place where a sudden displacement has occurred on the ocean floor.How many people have died due to tsunamis?A tsunami is a giant wave that is produced when a very huge large wave of water hits the land. It occurs due to a high magnitude earthquake under the water body, or a volcanic eruption. It can also happen due to an underwater landslide or incidence of meteorites in the sea.In history, cases between 1998 and 2017 have been noted. It came to light that more than 250,000 deaths have happened globally due to Tsunamis. This includes more than 227,000 deaths that happened individually due to the single Indian Ocean tsunami that hit in 2004. Tsunamis are known to travel thousands of kilometers. It can reach speeds of up to 800 kph (500 mph). Once this tsunami wave hits the coast, it can result in devastating impacts. The lives of people in the coastal areas are hampered. Successive waves can keep arriving at intervals of 10-45 minutes. They are not just a single wave incidence and wreak destruction continuously for several hours.Around 700 million people living in the coastal areas are exposed to the danger of tsunami waves. The people living on the smaller islands are in greater danger as they do not have any place to go when an alert is given. The waves are so huge their boats will topple like twigs.Japan has been developing earthquake-resilient infrastructure. They have also tried to install early tsunami warning systems. While efforts to educate people are critical in saving lives, there can also be efforts to protect their assets from the fear of tsunami in the future.Actually, a transfer of energy occurs on the floor of the ocean. This results in high tsunami waves on the surface of the ocean. These now radiate in all directions. When they are present in deep waters, these tsunami waves are not even detectable. As the tsunami enters coastal areas, the speed of these waves slows down, and instead, their height increases. Sometimes the water along the coastline may recede noticeably. A huge and high wall of water so created is called by a special name, bore.What To Do During A TsunamiEarthquakes and tsunamis can kill or cause injuries to people and destroy buildings.A tsunami is not a single large wave, but a series of humongous ocean waves that have been caused by earthquakes underwater. A tsunami can travel 20-30 mph (32-48 kph) while having 10-100 ft (16-160 m) high waves. Tt causes flooding and disrupts life, the means of transportation, power supply, means of communications, and also the water supply.If you have been issued tsunami warnings, first protect yourself before helping others. Try to protect yourself from the effects of the earthquake. Take cover and hold on. Get to a higher land if possible. If flooding could take place, do not go to basements.Evacuate as soon as possible and go to a place far and higher in altitude. However, if you see that the effect has started look for a high land or platform. Make sure to hide with friends and family and take stuff for first aid with you. Single people generally get trapped and no one is there to give first aid. If possible carry ample food and water with you so that if you are trapped you will not go hungry.If you stay in a coastal area take an insurance policy that covers loss due to such events. Also, you must stay updated on the warnings being issued on daily basis for the tsunami in your area. In case an earthquake starts and you have not been able to go away, stop and hold on to a sturdy piece of wood. When the shaking stops get to a better hiding place that is higher and can save you from the tsunami wave.You must try and grab on to something that will float. Take care and be aware of any electric wires that may lead to electrocution. When there is a flood the water that you see can be deeper than it appears. Underground or drowned wires can be a risk. So make sure to stay away from areas where there were electric transformers.If you are sick or see someone sick, help them. Try to give first aid and then take them to the nearest health facility. You can rush to a shelter facility that has been prepared by the government. There may be a doctor who can help. In case someone suffers from a breathing problem, then assist by mouth-to-mouth breathing if necessary. Take care of patients who may be feeling panicked.Try and stay away from the roads and bridges. Even if they seem OK, a little weight can make a weak bridge fall. Also, stay away from high-rise buildings. Do not rush to the top floor of such a building. You may only get trapped if it falls or tilts. Try and keep battery on your phone for calls. Do not waste it listening to songs or playing games. This will help you ask for help and get located.When the water recedes make sure to take pictures of the damage caused. You also have to collect evidence of the earthquake damage due to natural disasters to your building for an insurance claim. If you are safe and healthy yourself then help others. You can at least counsel those who are in a state of panic. Get in touch with loved ones and keep calm.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Japanese tsunami facts then why not take a look at Japanese geography facts or Japan flag facts?
Japan is a country that has only islands and there is no mainland.
