| In 2004, a powerful tsunami washed over coastal | | | | elements: information, advisory, watch, and |
| areas in Southeast Asia, extending all the way to | | | | warning. When the system detects an |
| Africa's west coast. The tsunami took more than | | | | underground earthquake, Hawaii's Pacific Tsunami |
| 200,000 lives, and some people were never | | | | Warning Center releases the news to the |
| recovered or identified. Much of this loss might | | | | effected communities. Because it is too early to |
| have been avoided had an effective emergency | | | | predict the size, time, or location of the potential |
| preparedness system been in place. | | | | tsunami at this stage, a more general advisory will |
| The 2004 tsunami may have been the most | | | | be delivered to likely targets. It may take hours |
| deadly in recorded history, but it was not the first | | | | from the siesmic event to the actual tsunami. |
| - 25 of them were recorded in the 20th Century | | | | Where evidence suggests that a tsunami is likely |
| alone. And while many of them have happened in | | | | but hasn't been witnessed or verified, early |
| the South Pacific, tsunamis have been recorded all | | | | warning systems issue a watch alerting |
| over the world, from Japan to Chile, from Italy to | | | | populations to the likelihoood. Emergency |
| to the United Kingdom. New Zealand's geologic | | | | preparedness plans dictate that, at this time, |
| record documents a tsunami 125,000 years | | | | people in coastal areas should be alert and watch |
| ago,and written history documents these | | | | the sea for signs, like a quick receding of ocean |
| disasters as early as 1580 B.C. (following the | | | | waters, that a tsunami is on its way. A siren may |
| Santorini volcano). | | | | be used to alert the people, anywhere from three |
| Until very recently, scientists have not been able | | | | hours before the event is expected. If the water |
| to predict when and where a tsunami will strike, | | | | does begin to recede, a mandatory evacuation will |
| making emergency preparedness very difficult. | | | | begin. |
| Caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides | | | | Once a tsunami has been seen and verified, they |
| on the sea floor, today we can make and | | | | issue a warning with more detailed information |
| educated guess about when they will happen | | | | about where and when the giant wave willh it. A |
| after such an event. | | | | siren will again alert people. Once a warning is |
| Today, regions at high risk may use a tsunami | | | | issued, people should already be moving out of |
| warning system to warn people before the wave | | | | the danger zone. They can go to high ground or |
| reaches coastal areas. Computer models are used | | | | try to go farther inland, taking fresh water, food, |
| to predict the time and location of impact Until | | | | and extra clothing with them as they go. Part of |
| now, the exact location where tsunamis will strike | | | | the emergency preparedness effort includes |
| cannot yet be predicted. But once an underground | | | | annoucements that will be made over the radio |
| earthquake occurs, an alert is sent to coastal | | | | telling them when it's safe to return. |
| communities that something could go in that | | | | The early warning system continues to work |
| direction. Emergency preparedness efforts are | | | | during and after the event. People will remain in |
| more likely to succeed when these alerts are | | | | the area to monitor the situation and to cancel |
| timely. | | | | the warning if the tsunami does not materialize. |
| The famous "Ring of Fire," where many | | | | World leaders now recognize how important |
| volcanoes have occurrred along the lines where | | | | emergency preparedness is to potential tsunami |
| tectonic plates meet in the Asian Pacific, was not | | | | victims. They encourage community leaders to |
| adequately protected by an early warning system | | | | develop plans and conduct exercises so that they |
| in 2004. This was a valuable lesson for coastal | | | | know how long it will take to evacuate vulnerable |
| areas around the world, and scientists are working | | | | areas. They should also have current estimates |
| hard to prepare for future events in that area. | | | | on the number of people in the area so that |
| Emergency preparedness for tsunamis begins | | | | they'll know if people are missing after the crisis |
| with early warning systems that include four | | | | has passed. |