Friday, March 11, 2011

In Case of a Tsunami

Mabuhay!

Here's a simple, informative, and entertaining way to educate your kids and household about tsunamis:




What to Do When a Tsunami Strikes

How to keep yourself alive in the event of a tsunami.

Tsunamis are a mass of sea waves that are usually caused by an earthquake in the floor of the sea. Tsunamis travel rapidly in the open ocean, sometimes at speeds exceeding 600 miles per hour. When the tsunami hits shallow water, the height of the tsunami can rise rapidly. This can cause devastation to the land near the shore where the tsunami hits.

The First Isn’t the Worst

The thought that the first wave of the tsunami is the strongest and hardest is a misconception. Oftentimes the successive waves are larger than the first. The can occur minutes apart and may continue for several hours after the first wave hits.

You May Have Only Minutes

If the earthquake that causes the tsunami happens far out in the ocean away from the shore, there should be ample time for the authorities to issue a tsunami warning. If, however, the earthquake happens close to shore, there may only be minutes between the earthquake and the arrival of the first wave.

If you feel the ground shake and you know an earthquake has occurred or if you notice a sudden change in the sea level, you should evacuate to high ground as soon as possible. If possible, make sure that you are at least fifty feet above sea level. At this height, you should be clear of any waves that are headed your way.

Be Prepared

Before a tsunami hits, you’ll want to have a disaster plan prepared with your family. Everyone should know what signs to look for and where to go should a tsunami be approaching. In addition to a disaster plan, you should prepare a disaster kit. Make sure each kit contains provisions for at least three days.
This kit should include food, medical supplies, a flashlight, batteries, clothing, a blanket and photos of each family member.
One kit is not enough. You need to have a separate kit for your home, your car and your workplace.

Stay Away From Shore

While it may be tempting to watch a tsunami from the coast, never, ever give into this temptation. Do not assume you can outrun the tsunami as many people cannot run faster than a tsunami can travel.
It is also important that you do not assume that it is safe to return to shore after the first wave. As explained before, tsunamis are a series of waves with subsequent waves being stronger than the first. Wait until the authorities state that it is safe to return to shore before doing so.
By taking the appropriate measures, you and your family can be prepared should a tsunami strike and your changes of surviving the tsunami will be drastically increased.

Source

Yahoo News reports:

Phivolcs raise tsunami alert, waves expected Friday afternoon

By Thea Alberto
Yahoo! Southeast Asia

(UPDATE) The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised the Tsunami alert to Level 2 , hours after an 8.8-magnitude quake hit Northern Japan.
In its Twitter account, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the alert level has been raised to level 2, and has advised the public to be “on alert for unusual waves.”
“The concerned public is advised to BE ON ALERT FOR UNUSUAL WAVES. Based on tsunami wave models and early tide gauge records of the tsunami in the Pacific, coastal areas in the Philippine provinces fronting the Pacific Ocean are expected to experience wave heights of at most one meter,” said NDRMMC in a statement.
NDRMMC said the first tsunami waves are expected to arrive between 5:00PM to 7:00PM Friday. The agency also warned that the “waves may continue for hours.”
“People are advised to stay away from the shoreline during this period. People should not go to the coast to watch the tsunami. People whose houses are very near coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean are strongly advised to go farther inland,” it added.
Earlier, these provinces were placed under alert following the strong earthquake in Northern Japan.


In a bulletin issued, these provinces are under watch:

• Batanes Group of Islands

• Cagayan

• Ilocos Norte

• Isabela

• Quezon

• Aurora

• Camarines Norte

• Camarines Sur

• Albay

• Catanduanes

• Sorsogon

• Northern Samar

• Eastern Samar

• Leyte

• Southern Leyte

• Surigao del Norte

• Surigao del Sur

• Davao Oriental

• Davao del Sur


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