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How fast do tsunamis travel?

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Tsunami wave speed is controlled by water depth. Where the ocean is over 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) deep, unnoticed tsunami waves can travel at the speed of a commercial jet plane, over 800 km per hour (500 miles per hour). read more

Tsunamis often exceed 100 miles in length in the deep ocean, where they can travel as fast as 500 miles per hour, crossing the entire Pacific Ocean in less than 24 hours. As a tsunami reaches the shallow water near a coastline, its speed decreases, but as the wave compresses it may grow to a height of 20 feet to 30 feet or more. read more

Tsunamis race across the deep ocean at jet speed, some 500 mph (800 km/h). Near shore, the killer waves slow to between 10 to 20 mph (16 to 32 km/h) and gain height. If the offshore slope is gentle and gradual, the tsunami will likely come in looking like a rapidly approaching tide. read more

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