Question

On Friday, September 28, 2018, Palu, Indonesia, on the island of Sulawesi, experienced an earthquake that generated a tsunami. Find Palu City, Indonesia in Google Earth. You may need to turn off some of the Places layers you've been working with to see the city more clearly. What geographic features put Palu in terrible danger of tsunami?

Answer 1

Answer: Proximity to active volcanoes

Explanation:

When volcanoes erupt, they can generate tsunamis in the following ways:

-Parts of the volcano (some of them may be underwater) could collapse, generating a big displacement of water and resulting in a tsunami.

-The magma chamber could also collapse as it empties, also generating water displacement.

-If the volcanoes are near to the shore, debris resulting from the eruption could hit the water at fast speeds, producing big waves and eventually a tsunami.

In this case, the proximity of Palu city to active volcanoes, especially ones that are so close to the shore, increases the risk of a tsunami.