Tsunami

"Tsunami" is the Japanese term meaning wave (‘nami’) in a harbour (‘tsu’). It is a series of travelling waves of extremely long length and period, usually generated by disturbances associated with earthquakes occurring below or near the ocean floor. 

The mortality rate from the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 was higher for women than for men. This was due to gender norms in the region: women stayed behind to look for their children and relatives, and more men were able to swim or climb trees to survive the impact of the Tsunami in comparison to women.