Difference Between Tsunami and Flood

Both tsunami and flood are natural disasters, which can result in numerous losses. The financial ones are obviously damaging for any country, but they can be recovered somehow through different means. However, losing precious lives because of such disasters can be devastating and this loss can never be recovered.

Although tsunami and flood are hydrological disasters, yet there are various differences between the two. They cannot be used under the same context, as their impact is completely different. However, both can cause plenty of devastation, so they are classified as natural disasters.

The first major difference between tsunami and flood is the extent of damage they cause. The latter of the two can be quite threatening, but it causes relatively lesser damage overall. On the other hand, a tsunami can potentially destroy an entire city or even affect numerous cities at the same time.

Another clear difference between these two disasters is that the flood is caused due to an overflow of water. It can happen in a river, lake and any other form of body near land. On the other hand, tsunamis are caused due to series of waves coming from the ocean into the sea.

One more thing that is different between tsunamis and floods is the reason which causes them. The latter of the two is triggered due to heavy rain falls, meltdown of snow and other such reasons. Compared to that, the tsunami is triggered by an earthquake, underwater explosions, volcanic eruptions and meteorite impacts.

When it comes to a flood, the local authorities are aware of the threat to some extent, so they can evacuate the area, which is under threat. For example, they can tell by the forecast that torrential rain will hit a sensitive town, so they can take some precautionary actions to save precious lives.

On the other hand, there are no such warnings for a tsunami, as no one can predict when it is going to trigger. Normally, the local authorities don’t allow people to go near the sea, when the waves are higher than usual.