EFFECTS

TSUNAMI INLAND
As a tsunami approaches shore, it will slow down and grow in height. Just like other water waves, tsunamis begin to lose energy as they rush onshore - part of the wave energy is reflected offshore, while the wave energy is dissipated through friction. Despite these losses, tsunamis still can reach the coast with tremendous amounts of energy. Tsunamis have great erosional potential, stripping beaches of sand that may have taken years to accumulate and undermining trees and other coastal vegetation. Capable of flooding hundreds of meters inland past the typical high-water level, the fast-moving water associated with the tsunami can crush homes and other coastal structures. Tsunamis may reach a maximum vertical height onshore above sea level, called the runup height, of 10-30 meters.