_____________. However, the most common cause is an undersea earthquake. An earthquake which is too small to create a tsunami by itself may trigger an undersea landslide quite capable of generating a tsunami.

• A. Tsunamis have been historically referred to as tidal waves because as they approach land, they take on the characteristics of a violent onrushing tide
• B. The term tsunami comes from the Japanese language meaning "harbour' and "wave"
• C. A tsunami can travel hundreds of miles over the open sea and cause extensive damage when it encounters land
• D. A tsunami can be generated by any disturbance that rapidly moves a large mass of water such as volcanic eruption