Page 97 - American Survival Guide - October 2017

TSUNAMI

According to NOAA (National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration), tsunamis are
not common; but when they do happen,
they can cause major damage. Tsunamis
can happen in any ocean at any time. Unlike
hurricanes and tornadoes, which can be
‹ Some of the
food author predicted with some accuracy, tsunamis
Benner always
has on hand are unpredictable. With that said, there are
when he travels. things you can do to protect yourself.
Make sure to
have enough for Understand the warnings: Tsunami
a few days, and
be prepared to warnings are color coded green, yellow,
supplement it
with what you orange and red and are used around the
can get locally. world. Learn these codes!
• Green—no threat
avoid taking unnecessary chances and risking your safety—or even your life or the lives • Yellow—a tsunami is possible, so be
of others. Knowing what’s happening around you goes a long way to reducing risk. prepared to act.
Visiting tropical islands is always fun, but there is also an element of risk involved.
Because they are islands, the ways to and from them are limited, which can lead to • Orange—there is a real tsunami threat.
major problems if something bad were to happen. There are strong currents and waves. Stay
When I visit any of the Hawai’ian Islands, the very first thing I do is locate the tsu- out of the water and away from beaches.
nami escape route. A tsunami, or tidal wave, can hit along any coast, but they are • Red—a tsunami is likely to happen. Move
more common in the Pacific and Indian oceans. to higher ground immediately.
Generated by earthquakes in the ocean, these walls of water will destroy everything In areas where tsunamis occur, warnings are
in their paths. The only “safe” place is higher ground. Tsunami escape routes (see the broadcast through local radio and television,
sidebar on this page) will show you the way to the safest spot—usually high ground marine radio and on the NOAA website. There
away from the coast. are also outdoor sirens, as well as text and
telephone notifi cations. In some cases, there is
not enough time for o cial warnings. You need
to be aware of your surroundings.
If you are near the coast and feel an earthquake,
see a sudden rise or fall of the ocean or hear a loud
roar from the ocean, those are definitive indications
of a tsunami. Don’t wait around to see or get official
warnings. Head for higher ground immediately.

KNOWING WHAT’S
HAPPENING
AROUND YOU GOES
A LONG WAY TO
‹ This lava field
in Hawai’i is REDUCING RISK.
beautiful, but it
poses a serious
potential danger.

[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 97

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