NOAA Raises Tsunami Awareness
From sea to shining sea, we love our beaches. In fact, 53 percent of the nation’s population lives in a coastal county. But along with the enjoyment offered by coastal living and vacationing comes personal responsibility to prepare for unique hazards that exist in coastal areas, such as tsunamis.
Because catastrophic tsunamis are rare, we may have a tendency to get complacent and think that one will never happen while we’re at the beach. However, every coastline in the world is vulnerable to a tsunami.
If you live near or visit the coast, NOAA encourages you to take this opportunity to develop and discuss tsunami safety plans with your family and friends so everyone will be prepared when a big tsunami strikes the United States.
NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Efforts
Through NOAA, the United States has made a significant investment in tsunami detection and warning systems since the last catastrophic tsunami occurred in 2004. Although the earthquake that triggered that tsunami was detected, warning systems were not in place in the Indian Ocean region for governments to alert people to evacuate the coasts to safety. As a result, nearly 230,000 people died.
Today, NOAA manages an expanded network of tide and seismic stations, and 39 tsunami buoys positioned throughout the world’s oceans to detect tsunamis. If staff members at NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Centers detect a tsunami threat, they broadcast alerts over an advanced telecommunications infrastructure.
Other components of the nation’s upgraded tsunami warning system include NOAA’s two 24/7 Tsunami Warning Centers in Alaska and Hawaii, a network of advanced forecast models for at-risk communities, and TsunamiReady™ — a public preparedness and education program.
New Education Video for Children
Parents and educators may visit NOAA’s Web site with their children and students to watch a short animated video about tsunamis. This new video titled Tsunamis: Know What to Do, produced by the San Diego Office of Emergency Management with support from NOAA and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, may be viewed online.
Everyone – from coastal residents to beach vacationers – will benefit from spending a few minutes learning about the warning signs of a tsunami and what to do if one occurs.
Warning Signs of a Tsunami
- A strong earthquake
- A sudden rise or fall of the ocean tide
- A loud, roaring sound (like an airplane or a train) coming from the ocean
- Tsunami warnings broadcast over television and radio, by beach lifeguards, community sirens, text message alerts, NOAA tsunami warning center Web sites and on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
What You Should Do if You See These Signs
- Don’t panic
- Move inland to higher ground, or into a tall building immediately and stay there
- Turn on your radio or television to learn if there is a tsunami warning
- Stay away from the beach until officials issue an “all clear”
So arm yourselves with tsunami awareness and a preparedness plan, along with sun block and a good book, and you’ll have all the ingredients for a fun and safe beach holiday. To learn more about tsunamis, visit NOAA’s Tsunami Web site.
