How to Prepare For and Be Safe During a Tsunami

Before and During a Tsunami

• Know your local community's suggested evacuation routes to safe areas, where shelter can be provided while you await the "all clear".
• Be prepared to survive on your own for at least three days. To do this, you should prepare an emergency kit for your home and car, along with a portable one.
• Consider taking a first aid course and learn survival skills.
• Tune to a radio station that serves your area and listen for instructions from emergency officials. Follow these instructions and wait for the "all clear" before returning to the coast.
• Stay away from the beach – do not go down to watch a tsunami come.
• Move inland to higher ground immediately and stay there.
• If there is a noticeable recession in the water away from the shoreline, this is considered “nature’s tsunami warning” and you should move away immediately.

After a Tsunami

• Stay away from flooded and damaged areas until officials say it is safe to go back.
• Stay away from debris in the water – it could cause health and safety risks.
• Save yourself first, not your possessions.
• Help injured or trapped people – give first aid where appropriate.
• Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger or further injury.
• Help a neighbor who may require special assistance, like elderly people or small children or people with disabilities.
• Stay out of the building if water remains around it – tsunami waters, like flood waters, can cause buildings to sink and collapse.
• Check food supplies – any food that has come in contact with flood waters should be thrown out because it may be contaminated.