Please, speak slowly and clearly.
Hurricanes: they are one of natures many destructive forces. The word comes from West Indian; huracan ("big wind"). Hurricanes are seasonal storms and are most prevalent in August and September. They develop from easterly waves, which can later develop into a tropical depression with winds up to 31 miles per hour. Later, it might develop into a tropical storm with winds up to 73 miles per hour, and eventually a hurricane. Thunderstorms often form with hurricanes and then produce waterspouts.
Hurricanes are huge tropical cyclones that originate over oceans near the equator, such as the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. However, if they do reach land, destruction of property is imminent. Wind speeds of a hurricane range from seventy to one hundred fifty miles per hour.
One of the most destructive elements of a hurricane is the huge waves that are formed because of the strong winds and heavy rains. These waves called a storm surge can rise several feet above water levels, especially during high tide.
"Tsunami" is the Japanese word meaning tidal wave. A tidal wave is a large sea wave caused by a submarine earthquake or volcanic explosion. When the ocean floor is tilted or offset during an earthquake, a set of waves is created. These waves are similar to the concentric waves generated by an object dropped into the water.
Usually tsunamis move entirely across an ocean to the shore. A tsunami can have wavelengths of 60 to 120 mi and may reach speeds of 800 km/h. When the wave enters shallow waters, the wave, which may have been half a meter high out at sea, grows rapidly. When the wave reaches the shore, it may be 50 ft. high or more. Tsunamis have incredible energy because of the great volume of water affected.
Since the year 1819, more than 40 tsunamis have struck the Hawaiian Islands. A tsunami warning system has been developed in areas such as Hawaii, where many devastating tidal waves occur. Hawaii, the highest risk area, averages one tsunami every year with a damaging occurrence every 7 years. Since 1945, more people have been killed as a result than as a direct result of an earthquake's groundshaking.
