When you think of fast-moving things, you might picture race cars or rockets. But would you believe that a wave — yes, a wave in the ocean — can move faster than a jet plane? That’s exactly what happens during a tsunami. These giant waves aren’t like the ones you see at the beach. They are powerful, fast, and can travel across entire oceans in just a few hours.Tsunamis usually start with an undersea earthquake. Imagine the sea floor suddenly shifting or lifting. This sudden movement pushes up the water above it, creating a wave. But unlike the waves made by wind near the shore, tsunami waves carry massive amounts of energy from deep in the ocean. That energy comes from the earth’s crust itself, and it gives the tsunami its surprising speed.At first, out in the deep sea, a tsunami might not look like much. It may only be a few feet high, and ships might not even notice it passing beneath them. But what makes it special is what’s happening underneath. Instead of just the surface water moving, the whole column of water from the ocean floor to the top is in motion. This means more water, more force, and much more speed.In deep waters, tsunamis can travel at speeds of up to 800 kilometres per hour — that’s almost as fast as a passenger jet! The deeper the water, the faster the tsunami can go. But as it gets closer to land and the ocean becomes shallower, something dramatic happens. The front of the wave slows down because it hits the sea floor, while the water behind it keeps pushing forward. This causes the wave to rise suddenly — sometimes becoming as tall as a building.When this giant wave reaches the shore, it crashes down with incredible force. It’s not just one wave, either. A tsunami usually comes as a series of waves, spaced minutes apart, and the first one is not always the biggest. Because they carry so much energy, these waves can travel far inland, sweeping away everything in their path — trees, cars, even buildings.One of the reasons tsunamis are so dangerous is that they’re hard to detect until it’s almost too late. Since they don’t look scary when they’re far out at sea, they can travel silently across vast distances. This is why tsunami warning systems are so important. Around the world, scientists use underwater sensors and satellites to monitor earthquakes and water levels. If a major underwater quake is detected, alerts are sent out quickly so people can move to safer areas before the waves hit.Tsunamis remind us that nature has forces beyond our everyday experience — silent, swift, and immensely powerful. Yet they also show us the importance of science, teamwork, and early warning systems. By learning how tsunamis form and travel, and how to respond to them, we become better prepared and more respectful of the natural world.Faster than a jet planeIn deep oceans, the waves can move at over 800 km/h — faster than a commercial aircraft.Invisible in the deepFar out at sea, the wave may rise only a metre or two — barely noticeable to ships.A word from Japan‘Tsunami’ means “harbour wave” in Japanese, where these waves have long been studied.Not just quakesThey can be caused by volcanoes, landslides, or even asteroid strikes.One wave isn’t the endThere’s often a series of waves — and later ones can be much larger.Animals sense it firstBirds, elephants, and other animals have been known to flee before the first wave arrives.A wall, not a curlIt doesn't look like a beach wave — it rises like a fast-moving wall of water.It once circled the globeThe 2004 Indian Ocean disaster sent waves around the entire Earth — multiple times.Taller than buildingsSome have reached heights of over 30 metres — as high as a 10-storey tower.When the sea vanishesA sudden retreat of the shoreline is a red flag — danger may be just minutes away.Students practise for itIn Japan, schoolchildren are trained to evacuate quickly as part of regular drills.
