Tsunamis can cross an ocean basin at roughly jetliner cruising speed
In deep water a tsunami wave train can race about 700–800 km/h — similar to a commercial jet — while the ocean surface rises only a meter or so and ships may barely notice.
Undersea quakes, landslides, or volcanic collapses shove the whole water column. Wavelengths stretch hundreds of kilometers, so energy travels fast until shallow shelves slow and stack the wave into a devastating surge.
That quiet open-ocean speed is why warning networks race the clock. Coastal minutes after a distant quake can still mean life or ruin when the long wave finally stands up.
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