We were amazed at the beauty of Hawaii. But then we saw a giant wave approaching! Hawaii and many countries around the Pacific Ocean have tsunamis caused by earthquakes or volcanoes erupting under the ocean.

A tsunami comes in at high speed as a huge wall of water. The water covers everything in its path. Then it draws far back to sea, pulling everything with it.

When people hear tsunami warning sirens, they get to high ground. But even if there are no sirens, there are things that can warn you. Tilly Smith, a schoolgirl who visited Thailand during a terrible tsunami, saved many lives because she knew what the ocean looks like before a tsunami.

Tilly Smith

1. Tilly saw the ocean bubbling and swirling as she walked along the beach.

2. She also noticed that the tide pulled far back out to sea and rushed in higher than it had been just a few minutes before.

3. In school, Tilly had learned that these were signs of a tsunami. She and her parents alerted everyone to get off the beach.

4. The behavior of animals is another clue. They seem to sense the danger and run from the beach, even before there are any other warning signs. So if you see elephants, dogs, cats, monkeys, rats, mice, or other animals heading for the hills, you’d better join the race, too.