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How often have tidal waves happened?

In the Pacific Ocean, tidal waves, or tsunami (pronounced SUE-na-me), have occurred about every six years, most often during the months of March, August, and November. Tidal waves are caused by earthquakes (above water or underwater), underwater volcanic eruptions, and giant landslides into the sea. These disturbances trigger fast-moving chains of waves that sweep across the ocean, sometimes at speeds over 500 miles (805 kilometers) per hour. As the waves approach the shore, they grow in height, sometimes reaching 100 feet (30.48 meters) or higher. In 1883 a 130-foot (39.65-meter) tidal wave hit an Indonesian island, destroying 150 villages and killing 36,000 people. In March 1933 a tsunami in Honshu, Japan, destroyed 8,000 ships and 9,000 houses and took 3,000 lives. When a tidal wave hit Flores Island (part of Indonesia) on December 12, 1992, it killed 1,000 people.

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