What makes a wave bigger in a tsunami?

Answer 1

A tsunami wave becomes bigger primarily due to the displacement of a large volume of water, typically caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. The energy from these events generates waves that can travel across the ocean at high speeds. As the tsunami approaches shallower coastal waters, the wave height increases dramatically due to the conservation of energy and the decreasing water depth, causing the wave to slow down and grow taller. Additionally, the geography of the coastline can amplify the wave, leading to even larger impacts.