tsunami

A superwave triggered by seismic activity

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tsunami

Seismic sea waves Geomedicine A superwave that can circle an island, and pound the otherwise protected leeward side with ↑ velocity–up to 365 km/hr or 225 miles/hr; waves can reach a height of 25+ meters; the Boxing Day (2004) tsunami centered in Indonesia claimed 300,000 lives. See Geological disaster. Cf Tidal waves.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.