Many people acted heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Coast Guard, for instance, rescued some 34,000 people in New Orleans alone, and many ordinary citizens commandeered boats, offered food and shelter, and did whatever else they could to help their neighbors.
Tidal waves, or tides, are a predictable, com-mon occurrence along coastal communities, generated by forces beyond Earthâthe gravitational pull of the sun and moon. However, tsunamis are not predictable. They are often generated by earth-quakes, volcanic activity, and slope failure.idal waves, or tides, are a predictable, com-mon occurrence along coastal communities, generated by forces beyond Earthâthe gravitational pull of the sun and moon. However, tsunamis are not predictable. They are often generated by earth-quakes, volcanic activity, and slope failure.
Earthquakes are only one of several ways that a tsunami can be generated. Tsunamis can also be caused by events such as underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions, land slumping into the ocean, meteorite impacts, or even the weather when the atmospheric pressure changes very rapidly.arthquakes are only one of several ways that a tsunami can be generated. Tsunamis can also be caused by events such as underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions, land slumping into the ocean, meteorite impacts, or even the weather when the atmospheric pressure changes very rapidly.