What should you do if you know tsunami is coming your way?

IF YOU ARE UNDER A TSUNAMI WARNING:

1. First, protect yourself from an Earthquake.
2. Get to high ground as far inland as possible.
3. Be alert to signs of a tsunami, such as a sudden rise or draining of ocean waters.
4. Listen to emergency information and alerts.
5. Evacuate: DO NOT wait!
6. If you are in a boat, go out to sea.

How can people prepare for a future tsunami?

Plan for a Tsunami

1. Plan an evacuation route from your home, school, workplace, or any other place you’ll be where tsunamis present a risk.
2. Practice your evacuation route.
3. Use a radio to keep informed of local watches and warnings.
4. Talk to your insurance agent.
5. Discuss tsunami with your family.

What happens when a tsunami is about to hit?

When a tsunami reaches land, it hits shallower water. A typical tsunami approaching land will slow down to speeds around 30 miles (50 kilometers) per hour, and the wave heights can reach up to 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level. As the wave heights increase during this process, the wavelengths shorten considerably.

Can you tell if a tsunami is coming?

Natural Warnings GROUND SHAKING, a LOUD OCEAN ROAR, or the WATER RECEDING UNUSUALLY FAR exposing the sea floor are all nature’s warnings that a tsunami may be coming. If you observe any of these warning signs, immediately walk to higher ground or inland.

Are tsunamis predictable?

Earthquakes, the usual cause of tsunamis, cannot be predicted in time, but can be predicted in space. Neither historical records nor current scientific theory can accurately tell us when earthquakes will occur. Therefore, tsunami prediction can only be done after an earthquake has occurred.

What is the biggest tsunami ever?

1958 Lituya Bay earthquake and megatsunami
Tsunami/Biggest
Lituya Bay, Alaska, July 9, 1958 Its over 1,700-foot wave was the largest ever recorded for a tsunami. It inundated five square miles of land and cleared hundreds of thousands of trees. Remarkably, only two fatalities occurred.

Will a tsunami ever hit California?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 42 of the 150 occurred in Los Angeles County. Considering that California is hit by about one tsunami a year, it’s time to take more notice of those hazard zone and evacuation route signs.

How long do you have to be prepared for a tsunami?

Experts believe that a receding ocean may give people as much as five minutes’ warning to evacuate the area. Remember that a tsunami is a series of waves and that the first wave may not be the most dangerous.

What happens if there is no warning of tsunami?

Tsunami, earthquake, hurricane—an emergency can develop with little or no warning. NOAA advises that since tsunami wave activity is imperceptible in the open ocean, vessels should not return to port if they are at sea and a tsunami warning has been issued for the area.

When can you return to coastal areas after a tsunami?

Do not return to coastal areas until the tsunami threat is declared over by authorities. Pay close attention to your local alert system — radio announcements, official websites, social media accounts and emergency cellphone alerts — and heed the advice.

What happens when a tsunami approaches land?

Tsunamis do not necessarily make their final approach to land as a series of giant breaking waves. They may be more like a very rapidly rising tide. This may be accompanied by much underwater turbulence, sucking people under and tossing heavy objects around.