A Pacific storm with atmospheric river will bring heavy mountain snow and strong winds to the Sierra Nevada and heavy rainfall over parts of coastal southern California through Thursday. Severe thunderstorms are likely in the ArkLaTex this afternoon and evening. An extended period of critical to extremely critical fire weather conditions will continue in the southern Plains through Saturday. Read More >
2021's theme is
Tsunami Ready Now
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.
For Awareness Materials, visit Hawaiʻi Information
For Tsunami Kids Hawai'i resources, visit Hawaiʻi Tsunami Kids Information
CALENDAR
TSUNAMI READY NOW! ACTIVITIES
Week 1. 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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FIND your home, school or business on the Tsunami Evacuation Map
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. |
Week 2. 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.
Knowing what to do in case of a future tsunami is critical.
2. Learn more about Tsunami Arrival Times to Hawai'i
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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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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! Download Tsunamis Live! (flyer) |