How are we able to track/predict if an earthquake will produce/create a Tsunami and in turn estimate how big the wave will be and how long it will take to hit a coastline?

Question

There was a magnitude 8.1 earthquake off New Zealand’s coastline and a tsunami warning has been issued with predictions of how big the wave will be in places and when it will hit. How are scientists able to predict this?

Edit: Grammar and spelling lol

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

In addition to comments below, there is a networks of buoys in the Pacific Ocean that measures wave height, wave velocity and sea level (and atmospheric details), and communicate this data back to the National Tsunami Warning Center via satellite. If you’re interested, search for DART buoys and NTWC.