Tsunami General Knowledge Quiz! Learn surprising facts and trivia through a quiz

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.

Are you only “assuming you know” about disaster preparedness? Tsunamis are a far more complex and profound natural phenomenon than we might think.

In this article, we present little-known facts about tsunamis in a quiz format.

From how they travel at different water depths to the ideal weight of items to take when evacuating, the more you learn, the more you’ll find yourself saying, “Wow!” Take this opportunity to deepen your understanding of tsunamis and, together with children and adults alike, learn wisdom to protect precious lives through this quiz.

Tsunami General Knowledge Quiz! Learn surprising facts and trivia through a quiz (1–10)

What month and day is Disaster Prevention Day?

August 31
September 1
March 11

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September 1

Disaster Prevention Day is on September 1. It was established to promote preparedness and raise awareness of disasters, prompted by the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923. It is one of the important days created in Japan to enhance disaster preparedness awareness.

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Where is a safe evacuation site during a tsunami?

Stay near the coast
Evacuate to high places such as buildings or mountains.
Hide under the bridge

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Evacuate to high places such as buildings or mountains.

To protect yourself from a tsunami, the basic rule is to evacuate as quickly as possible to higher ground or to the upper floors of a tall building. Low-lying areas and under bridges are dangerous. Since tsunamis surge in from the sea toward low-lying land, it’s important to be prepared in advance so you can act calmly.

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What is the meaning of the etymology of “tsunami”?

Large waves crashing into the harbor
Wind that rocks the boat
Mist Enveloping the Island

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Large waves crashing into the harbor

“Tsunami” is made up of two Japanese words: “tsu,” meaning a port or harbor, and “nami,” meaning wave, indicating a large wave that rushes into a harbor. It was originally named because much of the damage occurred in ports. So “tsunami” is a word formed from two Japanese meanings.

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Tsunami General Knowledge Quiz! Learn surprising facts and trivia through a quiz (11–20)

Which of the following is not a cause of tsunamis?

earthquake
Submarine volcanic eruption
strong wind

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strong wind

Tsunamis are usually caused by earthquakes, submarine volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides. Strong winds can generate waves (high waves), but they do not cause tsunamis. Tsunamis are primarily triggered by natural phenomena. In other words, wind alone, without accompanying natural disasters, is not sufficient to cause a tsunami.

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When a tsunami advisory is issued, what is the best way for people—especially those at sea—to act?

Leave the sea immediately and evacuate to higher ground.
Keep watching at the coast
Swim out to sea

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Leave the sea immediately and evacuate to higher ground.

When a tsunami advisory is issued, even a small tsunami can create strong currents that are life-threatening. If you are at sea, leave the water immediately and evacuate to a safe place such as higher ground. Please be especially careful if you are playing at the beach or fishing.

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Among evacuation advisories and evacuation orders, which one is the most dangerous?

Evacuation advisory
Evacuation order
Alert Level 5

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Alert Level 5

Alert Level 5 indicates a state in which a disaster is very likely already occurring, and the best actions to protect your life are required. It is information even more urgent than evacuation orders or advisories. Prepare in advance so that you can take life-protecting actions immediately when it is issued.

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How likely is it that a tsunami will occur even from a small earthquake?

almost none
It happens with about a 50% probability.
often occurs

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almost none

Tsunamis are mainly generated by large earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.0 or greater. The likelihood of a tsunami occurring from a small earthquake is considered very low. However, on rare occasions, tsunamis can also be triggered by small, unusual earthquakes or by landslides.

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