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coastal flooding During a severe coastal storm, winds can  push the seawater up into huge waves. These  batter the shoreline over and over again. The wild  waves can eventually rip through sea defenses as  the seawater pours inland, flooding coastal areas.   tsunami  A tsunami is a series of waves traveling   across the ocean following an earthquake or  volcano erupting on the seabed. When the line of  waves approaches the shore, its speed slows, but  the height of the wa























































          storm surge  Water that is pushed  toward the shore by   the force of the winds   swirling around    a hurricane is   called a storm surge.   The advancing surge can  combine with the normal  advancing tide to create   a storm tide. Wind-driven   waves on top of this wall of water  can pound the coast, weakening  structures and drowning the land.










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