Page 80 - Social Science 2_flatten

• The scientific study of earthquakes is of over 100 feet (30.5 metres), and

called seismology. strike the land. These waves are
caused by large undersea earthquakes,
Tsunami
landslides or volcanic eruptions.
• A tsunami is a series of ocean waves
• A tsunami causes widespread
caused by large-scale disturbances of
destruction when it hits the shore.
water in the ocean.

• These waves sometimes reach heights

On December 26, 2004, at 7:59 AM local
me, an undersea earthquake with a
magnitude of 9.1 struck off the coast of
the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The

tsunami caused one of the largest natural
disasters in recorded history, resulting in
the loss of many lives and habitats.
Tsunami wave

Words to Know

interven on (in-tuh ven-shn): the act of Interfering with the outcome or course
especially of a condi on or process

disrupted (duhs-ruhpt-uhd): to prevent something, especially a system, process
from con nuing as usual or as expected.
inadequate (in-a-duh-kvuht): insufficient for a purpose

prolonged (pruh-lawngd): con nuing for a notably long me

intensity (in-ten-sub-tee): the quality of being felt strongly or having a very strong
effect magnitude (mag-nuh-tude): size; extent; dimension

Wind-up
• A natural disaster is an event such as a flood, drought, famine, cloudburst,

tsunami, cyclonic storm, earthquake, or volcanic eruption.
• An emergency is an urgent, unexpected, and usually dangerous situation that
poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment and

requires immediate action.
• Floods occur when there is very heavy rainfall and the amount of water in a
river becomes more than its capacity to carry.

• Cyclones are powerful natural phenomena characterised by large-scale circular
movements of strong winds blowing at very high speeds.

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