On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 13:21:24 +0100, wrote:

On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 11:57:00 +0000, June Hughes
wrote:

In message , Cerumen
writes

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 16:09:33 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

The main risk is the big piece of rock which is expected to fall off
an island in the Canaries, generate a tidal wave that will wipe out
the East Coats of the USA and not do a lot of good to the low
countries.

Apparently a tsunami hit the west coast of Ireland in 1775 ? after a
seismic event near the Azores and Canaries causing some considerable
damage..

I believe that was the earthquake and tsunami that wiped out Lisbon.

When did everybody start calling a tidal wave a tsunami and why?

Why not use the Japanese word for earthquake too?

I *think* there's a technical difference. A tsunami is caused by an
undersea earthquake, or seaquake I suppose. Whereas a tidal wave can be
caused by a "landbased" earthquake. A tidal wave can also be caused by
storms or be one of those "megawaves" that swamp ships occasionally.

--
Tim C.