Powee Hour 82 Big Waves! by Linda Ruggieri

Powee Hour 82

Big Waves!

_{by Linda Ruggieri}

Big Waves!

Take a look at a world map. Can you find the Pacific Ocean? Japan is a country made up of many islands in that ocean. Most people in Japan live close to the waters of the Pacific. A few years ago, people living in the Tohoku region of Japan saw something strange. Giant ocean waves were coming toward them. When the waves reached the beach, they did not stop. Streets and homes were flooded. 

Giant waves like those are known as tsunamis (soo-NAH-meess). Tsunami is a Japanese word that means "harbor wave. " What causes a tsunami? An earthquake occurs in the ocean. The land below the water shakes. That causes water to swell into giant waves. The waves travel quickly across the ocean.

The tsunami that hit Tohoku started as an earthquake in the ocean eighty miles away. The quake was very strong. The tsunami waves it created kept coming for hours. The waves destroyed ships, cars, and many buildings. Scientists are studying the events of the Tohoku tsunami. The scientists hope to learn things that will make people safer the next time a tsunami happens.

Multiple Choice

Which country was hit by a tsunami a few years ago?

• A. the United States

• B. Japan

• C. England

 Open

joinmyquiz.com and enter this code

43145812