Hawai’i uses animation to teach tsunami warning signs

EMS
2004 tsunami
Waiting for the tsunami wave to reach shore could be too late to find safety on high ground. | By David Rydevik

HONOLULU – A new animated public service announcement teaches Hawai’i residents when to stop fooling around and get to high ground in the event of a tsunami.

The animation from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency reveals the critical need to know the natural warning signs of a tsunami and what to do if one occurs.

“Let me tell you a story about ka moana,” the public service announcement created by Oahu’s Hyperspective begins, a release from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) said.

The PSA warns tsunamis can occur at any time of the year with limited or no warning, unlike hurricanes which have a season and develop slowly.

An earthquake can create violent seafloor movement that can cause a tsunami. Other causes can be large landslides, lava flows entering the sea, a seamount collapse or a meteorite’s impact, the PSA said. The agency uses Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami buoys and tidal gauges to monitor for potential tsunamis, but predictions are still difficult.

Residents are warned in the animation that a local tsunami could mean warnings come only a few minutes in advance.

HI-EMA, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and county partners operate the largest outdoor warning siren system in the United States as a key piece of the Hawaiʻi Alert and Warning System. Other parts of the system are the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts.

Residents are advised to follow the advice shown in the animation to evacuate to high ground immediately if they are near the beach or shore and feel the ground shaking. Other clues to head to high ground is if the ocean recedes from the shore suddenly or a deep rumbling noise is coming from the sea.

HI-EMA offers more information online.