PDC Updates | March 31, 2010
Tsunami in Ao Nang
Models and maps of a tsunami's scope and movement may hold our interest. However, pictures like this one of the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean Tsunami arriving in Ao Nang, Thailand, show the terrible power of the sea rushing ashore in waves. (Image: David Rydevik, used with permission)

In Hawaii, there is a public service advertising campaign for which the script begins, "Did you know there is no season for tsunamis." Wherever you may be around the world, if you are near the sea, you need to be aware of the fact that a tsunami can strike at any time of any day or night. Continual preparedness is required. Of course, no matter where you live, if you plan a seaside vacation, you need to know about tsunami risks and keeping yourself and your loved ones safe, just as the local residents do.

On April 1, 1946, a large undersea earthquake near the Aleutian Islands generated a tsunami that traveled nearly 3,000 miles across the Pacific to become Hawaii's most deadly natural disaster ever. Since then, international and national organizations such as the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Japan Meteorological Agency and others have made tremendous advances in tsunami detection, monitoring, and warning. At the same time, organizations such the Pacific Disaster Center have contributed to tsunami safety by developing and enhancing preparedness methods, and by employing the latest information and communication technologies to transforming warning data and speeding it to those who need it. The collaborative work of local, national, regional and global organizations is helping to reduce tsunami disaster risks.

Like many areas along coasts in the U.S. and abroad, the state of Hawaii conducts annual, statewide tsunami-response exercises to ensure that all civil defense, military and first responder units, as well as Pacific Disaster Center and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center are ready to react as needed. However, the safety of your family still depends on what you and your family members know and what you do when threatened by a tsunami. You might want to conduct an annual disaster-response meeting or even an exercise with your household (or your office).

Use the links below to gather information about tsunamis and other hazards, and then make time to share what you learn with your family. Pacific Disaster Center provides general information about tsunamis plus important information about preparedness and how to put together your own emergency supply kit. There are tsunami evacuation maps in phone books distributed in the islands (and perhaps in your local phone book elsewhere, too, or on your local government website). These evacuation-zone maps are included in the Hawaii edition of PDC's Natural Hazards and Vulnerabilities Atlas. And during an actual tsunami watch or warning, tsunami travel time (TTT) maps are included in the Global Edition of this web-based GIS resource.

At 11:45 a.m. on the first business day of each month, tsunami-alert sirens in Hawaii are tested. Are there warning sirens in your community? Do you know what they sound like and when they are sounded for testing purposes? If the alerting sirens sound at another time, immediately turn to your emergency preparedness information source—radio, TV, or Pacific Tsunami Warning Center online—and be prepared to activate your family's emergency-action plan.

For additional, related information, refer to:

Some links may become inactive over time. If you find a broken or inoperative link to an external resource, you may want to search at that resource for the relevant information. If you find that a link referring to a pdc.org page fails, please inform the PDC Webmaster.