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Tsunami waves are mechanical waves and thus energy transfer is through the phenomenon of compression and rarefaction. These waves move through their source towards the onshore areas due to the additional impact of wind on the surface of water. This phenomenon of water wave movement can be understood as the generation of ripples on water surface when disturbed by any external impact. In a tsunami wave, the whole of water mass moves about 30 metres horizontally to and fro from the impact which caused it. Another up and down motion combined with this to and fro motion causes the wave to travel in an elliptical geometry. A typical tsunami wave can have an amplitude A of 1 metre and a wavelength L of the order of 799.9 kilometres, which can be used to calculate its speed. For the average depth of the Indian Ocean, which is three and a half kilometres, the speed of water waves was calculated as around 650 kilometres per second. Such speeds combined with high associated energy levels explains the destructive capabilities of tsunami waves.
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