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When there is an earthquake, it often "josltes" a fault line on the ocean floor. The force caused by the movement between the fault line and the ocean floor causes a significant amount of force to rise to the surface. This force causes the large waves in every direction. The wave effect is similar to when a rock is dropped in the water; rings circle around it. That is why the earthquake in Japan not only caused the huge tsunami in Japan but also waves on the coast of California and Hawaii.

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14y ago

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