Disasters

• If you are in school and a tsunami warning has been issued, follow the advice of teachers and other school personnel
• Abnormal ocean activity, a wall of water, and an approaching tsunami can create a loud "roaring" sound similar to that of a train or jet aircraft
• Preparations before a tsunami

  1. Protect yourself first from an earthquake if you are in a tsunami area

  2. Do the Duck, Cover, and Hold

  3. Move to higher ground in case of locally-generated tsunamis
• Offshore reefs and shallow areas may help break the force of tsunami waves, but large and dangerous waves can still be a threat to coastal residents in these areas
• If you live near or visit a coastal area, learn about the risk of a tsunami. Some at-risk communities have maps with evacuation zones and routes
• Natural signs of a tsunami

  • Feel an earthquake
  • See ocean water disappear from beach, bay, river
  • Hear an unusual roaring sound
• If you are outside the tsunami hazard zone and a warning has been issued, stay where you are unless officials tell you otherwise
• High, multi-story, reinforced concrete hotels can provide a safe place to find refuge during a tsunami warning
• Keep in contact with authorities in large harbors and ports should a forced movement of vessels be directed
• Water may recede from the coast, exposing the ocean floor, reefs, and fish before returning as a fast-moving wall of water (tsunami). This is called "drawback."
• Know and practice community evacuation plans and map out your routes from coming from your house, work, and other areas
• If there is a warning, move immediately to a safe place as high and as far from the inland as possible
• If you are in a boat at sea or in a harbor, do not return to port if a tsunami warning has been issued for your area
• If you are at home and hear there is a tsunami warning, make sure your entire family is aware of the warning and move to the evacuation site or to any safe place outside your evacuation zone
• Permanent features brought out by earthquakes

  • Fault scarps
  • Surface ruptures
  • Offsets of natural or human-constructed objects
• Secondary effects of earthquakes

  • Landslides
  • Tsunami
  • Liquefaction<|Fires
• Developing resistant structures can help reduce earthquake risks by redistributing forces caused by seismic waves through shear walls
• Earthquake Hazards refer to earthquake agents that have the potential to cause harm to vulnerable targets such as humans, animals, or the environment
• Seismic vibration


  Common triggering mechanism for landslides
• Liquefaction is caused by vibration or saturation with water, leading to decreased soil density and posing danger to unstable structures of buildings due to ground subsidence
• Primary effects of earthquakes

  • Landslides
  • Tsunami
  • Liquefaction
  • Fires
• What to do when a tsunami threatens

  1. Keep in contact with harbor authorities or vessel traffic systems for large harbors and ports

  2. Ensure enough time to move vessels safely to deep water for smaller ports

  3. Small boat owners may leave their boat at the pier and move to higher ground, especially in locally-generated tsunamis

  4. Contact harbor authority before returning to port to verify safe conditions for navigation and berthing
• A tsunami is a huge sea wave triggered by a violent displacement of the ocean floor, caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides
• Seismic hazard maps show potential hazards in an area, serving as a basis for disaster management information like evacuation locations and routes
• Earthquake Hazards refer to earthquake agents which have the potential to cause harm to a vulnerable targets which can either be humans, animals or even your environment.