A tsunami doesn't have to be this gigantic wave that breaks at the beach and crashes into shore. There's this image from the Indonesian tsunami that we've all seen many times where a tsunami smashes into a seawall and sends spray high into the air. But more often, it's like someone leaving the faucet in the bathtub running and the water level just keeps rising and rising until all your floating bath toys spill over the side and crash to the floor--and the water keeps on coming.
Correct. Often tsunamis act more like a very high tide that comes in very fast. Also keep in mind that tsunamis are often multiple waves that can come in over a period of many hours. And frequently the first one is not the hightest one. Much of the death and destruction in a tsunami is from debris carried in the fast moving water. Trees, houses, and other junk gets carried along by the water and acts like battering rams.
If a tsunami warning sounds, get to the highest ground you can, as fast as you can! If you cant get to high ground then find a very big, very sturdy building and go up several floors. Move fast!
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