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Int. Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office

National Program

Hawaii Tsunami Awareness Month - April 2021

Weather.gov > Int. Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office > Hawaii Tsunami Awareness Month - April 2021

Hawaiʻi Tsunami Awareness Month - April 2021

 


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2021's theme is

Tsunami Ready Now
 

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A tsunami can happen at any time and with limited warning. It can put you in immediate danger, and cut you off from family and friends. It may happen so fast that you won’t have time to seek out information. It could also take up to 15 hours to hit, so we have time to prepare.  Understanding tsunamis and your role in case of emergency is critical to your safety – and more important than ever with the added risk of COVID-19 this year.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the M8.6 April 1, 1946 Aleutian Island earthquake and tsunami.  The tsunami took just 4 hours to impact Hawai'i killing 158 persons, and led to the establishment of the US Tsunami Warning System in 1949.  The tsunami threat to Hawai ' i is real - history showed us in 1946 and then in 1952, 1957, 1960, and 2011, and 1975 locally. Last month’s Tsunami Watch from the M8.1 March 4, 2021 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand was yet another reminder that tsunamis threaten us from all parts of the Pacific. 
Make sure you and your family are prepared - know what to do and where to go!

During April,  Tsunami Ready Now!  will focus on key aspects of tsunami preparedness.

Every week, we will share social media posts to ask you to engage in simple but important activities that will keep you and your family safe from the next tsunami. Follow the Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram pages of Hawai'i (HCCD), Maui, O'ahu, and Kaua'i County Emergency Management and Civil Defense, Hawaii State Emergency Management Agencym (HI-EMA), NOAA tsunami centers (ITIC, PTWC), the University of Hawaii/Hilo-CSAV, or the Pacific Tsunami Museum to learn about tsunamis.

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  • Week 1:   UNDERSTAND  the Tsunami Alert and Warning terminology
                    FIND  your home, school or business on the Tsunami Evacuation Map
  • Week 2:   PLAN  to safely evacuate when a Tsunami Warning is issued
  • Week 3:   SHARE  with family and friends to plan and prepare for a tsunami event 
     

get info For Awareness Materials, visit  Hawaiʻi Information
For Tsunami Kids Hawai'i resources, visit Hawaiʻi Tsunami Kids Information

 

CALENDAR

 

TSUNAMI READY NOW!  ACTIVITIES

Week 1.  
UNDERSTAND  the Tsunami Alert and Warning terminology
Did you know there’s a difference between a tsunami watch and a tsunami warning? Each has its own meaning. Each is a signal to take specific action. 

Did you know that sirens are only one part of a larger system during a tsunami evacuation? Even if you don’t live near a siren, critical information is shared through radio, TV, wireless alerts, and official social media. 


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Actions / Activities
1. Learn about the US Tsunami Warning System. 
2. Review the alert terminology  to understand the differences and learn about tsunami alerts
3. Sign up for free emergency alerts from the County you live in:
     Kaua'i County
     City & County of Honolulu  
     Maui County
     Hawai'i County

FIND  your home, school or business on the Tsunami Evacuation Map
Did you know there are two tsunami evacuation zones on O'ahu, Maui, and Kaua'i?  For these islands, the Tsunami Evacuation Zone (TEZ) is used for most tsunami warnings, but in rare cases officials may advise evacuating further inland beyond the Extreme zone (EXTEZ).  On the Big Island, there is only one tsunami evacuation zone.
 

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Actions / Activities

See if your home or workplace or the park or beach you go to is in the Tsunami Evacuation Zone. You never know where you’ll be when a tsunami warning is issued. Save a link to the Tsunami Evacuation Map today so that, during an emergency, you can quickly find your best route to safety.
City of County of Honolulu
State of Hawai'i

Week 2.
PLAN  to safely evacuate when a Tsunami Warning is issued.

A tsunami can happen anytime, with little warning. It can put you in immediate danger, cut you off from family and friends. It may happen so fast you won’t have time to seek out information. 

The arrival time of a tsunami depends on where it was generated.  If you see a Urgent Local Tsunami Warning, which means it was generated off the coast of Hawaii, you only have minutes to act.

  • On O ' ahu, a tsunami could hit in as little as 30 minutes after a local earthquake or other seismic event. 
  • On Kaua'i, a tsunami could hit in as little as 45 minutes after a local earthquake off the Big Island or other seismic event. 
  • On Maui, a tsunami could hit in as little as 20 minutes after a local earthquake off the Big Island or other seismic event. 
  • On the Big Island, a tsunami could hit in as little as 5 minutes after a local earthquake.

 

Knowing what to do in case of a future tsunami is critical.
Review the considerations below and learn more about tsunami preparedness

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Actions / Activities
1. Visit County Emergency Management and Civil Defense Agency web sites for preparedness information
     Kaua'i County
     City & County of Honolulu
     Maui County
     Hawai'i County

2. Learn more about Tsunami Arrival Times to Hawai'i

 

Week 3.  

SHARE  with family and friends to plan and prepare for a tsunami event

As we wrap up Tsunami Awareness Month, we reflect on the importance of not only creating a plan before a tsunami happens, but also sharing that plan with family and friends. Who’s grabbing the supply kit? What are the plans for your child’s school? Figuring out these details now will help get you and your loved ones to safety sooner, with everything you need. This week, take a few moments to review the facts together.


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Actions / Activities
1. Review the Tsunami Facts for your County
     Kaua'i County
     City & County of Honolulu
     Maui County
     Hawai'i County
2.  Prepare your Family ( Emergency Plan , Go Bag )

Week 4.  

JOIN Tsunamis Live! webinar April 28 and/or May 5, 2:00 - 2:45 pm

Register to join directly, or follow ITIC's Live Facebook Stream for this after-school activity for school kids Grades 2-8, and everyone young at heart! We'll cover the basics on tsunamis, tsunami warnings, and getting Tsunami Ready Now! Have a question - pose it live to the County Emergency Management and Civil Defense Agencies and their Adminstrators, the Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency and NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and International Tsunami Information Center!
Register for April 28: http://bit.ly/tsunamislive1
Register for May 5: http://bit.ly/tsunamislive2

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