What is the difference between earthquakes and tsunamis?

Answer 1

Two fascinating natural occurrences (and, alternatively, disasters), the tsunami and earthquake are different things. But they are, at times, related.

Earthquakes are caused when earth's tectonic plates shift resulting in shaking the earth. They can happen under land or ocean. Earthquakes can cause mass destruction by shaking up the land above it, making it unstable for infrastructure. The best way to protect oneself in an earthquake is to look for cover under a strong structure. For instance, if you are trapped in a building, get under a doorway.

A tsunami is a giant wave, caused by some movement or disturbance under the water - for instance, an earthquake or landslide. The water is shifted in a way to cause a massive wave (up to 100 meters), which builds momentum (up to 800 km/h) and can crash into the nearby coastline. This is when they are deadly. To protect oneself from a tsunami, the absolute best is to get as high as possible, and as inland as possible. Otherwise, it is very difficult to survive the brute force of this wave.