Alltop.com

A magnitude-8.9 offshore earthquake -- one of the largest ever recorded -- shook Japan today, triggering a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept away boats, cars and homes.

In this article, we'll look at what causes tsunamis, the physics that drives them and the effects of a tsunami strike. We will also examine scientists' worldwide efforts to monitor and predict tsunamis in order to avoid disasters like the one that occurred in 2004 off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island. How are tsunami waves classified?

Full article at HowStuffWorks.com.

Total aggregation of HowStuffWorks.com.

Photo credit: Fotolia