winds generate waves, tidal waves are formed by the uplifting of water by displacement in the ocean...sometimes by hurricanes, know more as tidal surges,... or by earthquakes and volcanic and plate techtonics deep in the ocean; lifting miles of sea floor

1) "The term tidal wave can refer to: - A tidal bore, a large movement of water formed by the funneling of the incoming tide into a river or narrow bay - A rogue wave of up to 100 feet high, often in the middle of the ocean and against prevailing current and wave direction - The crest (physics) of a tide as it moves around the Earth. - Tsunami are often referred to popularly as tidal waves. This term is inaccurate because tsunamis are not related to tides and its use is discouraged by geologists and oceanographers." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_wave 2) "The phenomenon of rogue waves is still a matter of active research, so it is too early to say clearly what the most common causes are or whether they vary from place to place. The areas of highest predictable risk appear to be where a strong current runs counter to the primary direction of travel of the waves; the area near Cape Agulhas off the southern tip of Africa is one such area. However, since this thesis does not explain the existence of all waves that have been detected, several different mechanisms are likely, with localised variation." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_wave_(oceanography%29 3) "A tsunami (pronounced /(t)suːˈnɑːmi/) is a series of waves created when a body of water, such as an ocean, is rapidly displaced. Earthquakes, mass movements above or below water, some volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions, landslides, underwater earthquakes, large asteroid impacts and testing with nuclear weapons at sea all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The effects of a tsunami can be devastating due to the immense volumes of water and energy involved. Since meteorites are small, they will not generate a tsunami." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami 4) "Storm surge or tidal surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically a tropical cyclone. Storm surge is caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level. Low pressure at the center of a weather system also has a small secondary effect, as can the bathymetry of the body of water. It is this combined effect of low pressure and persistent wind over a shallow water body which is the most common cause of storm surge flooding problems. The term "storm surge" in casual (non-scientific) use is storm tide; that is, it refers to the rise of water associated with the storm, plus tide, wave run-up, and freshwater flooding. When referencing storm surge height, it is important to clarify the usage, as well as the reference point. National Hurricane Center tropical cyclone reports reference storm surge as water height above predicted astronomical tide level, and storm tide as water height above NGVD-29. Most casualties during a tropical cyclone occur during the storm surge." "At least five processes can be involved in altering tide levels during storms: the pressure effect, the direct wind effect, the effect of the earth's rotation, the effect of waves, and the rainfall effect." "The worst storm surge, in terms of loss of life, was the 1970 Bhola cyclone and in general the Bay of Bengal is particularly prone to tidal surges." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_surge "FOR a State with a 1,030-kilometre long coastline along the Bay of Bengal, storms and cyclones cannot but be a regular phenomenon. No fewer than 26 cyclones have hit Andhra Pradesh since the Diviseema tidal wave tragedy in 1977, almost all of them during October-November, the "cyclone season", when temperatures in the ocean increase." Source and further information: http://www.flonnet.com/fl2221/stories/20051021002304400.htm "1977 Nov. 19, Andhra Pradesh, India: cyclone and tidal wave claimed lives of 20,000. 1991 April 30, southeast Bangladesh: cyclone killed over 131,000 and left up to 9 million homeless. Thousands of survivors died from hunger and water-borne disease. 1999 Oct. 29, Orissa state, India: supercyclone swept in from Bay of Bengal, killing at least 9,573 and leaving over 10 million homeless. 2004 March 8, Antalaha, Madagascar: Cyclone Gafilo, with winds of 160 mph and heavy rains, leaves hundreds of thousands homeless and killed 295 people. More than 100 were on a ferry that sank off the island of Comoros. 2007 November 15, southern Bangladesh: Cyclone Sidr, with winds over 100 miles per hour, kills nearly 3,500 people in southern Bangladesh. The United Nations reports that a million people are left homeless. 2008 May 3, Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis hits the Irrawaddy Delta and the city of Yangon, killing at least 22,500 people— 41,000 more are still missing. Most of the deaths and destruction were caused by a 12-foot high tidal wave that formed during the storm." Source and further information: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001442.html Further information: http://www.emergency-management.net/cyclone.htm http://www.imd.ernet.in/section/nhac/static/cyclone-history-bb.htm