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Please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website to learn about Tsunamis.
NOAA has primary responsibility for providing tsunami warnings to the Nation, and a leadership role in tsunami observations and research. Tsunami messages are issued by NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Centers.
Awareness Information
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) is responsible for providing warnings to international authorities, Hawaii, and U. S. territories within the Pacific basin. All tsunamis are potentially dangerous, even though they may not damage every coastline they strike.
Be familiar with the tsunami warning signs. A strong earthquake near the coast may generate a tsunami. A noticeable rapid rise or fall in coastal waters is also a sign that a tsunami is approaching.
Tsunamis most frequently come onshore as a rapidly rising turbulent surge of water choked with debris. They are not V-shaped or rolling waves, and are not “surfable.”
Tsunamis may be locally generated or from a distant source. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern shore – the most powerful earthquake ever recorded to have hit Japan – generating enormous tsunami waves that spread across miles of shoreline. The March 11 earthquake took nearly 16,000 lives.
Plan for a Tsunami
Tsunami-specific planning should include the following:
What to Do if You Feel a Strong Coastal Earthquake
If you feel a strong earthquake when you are on the coast:
Please call your nearest Consulate or Embassy:
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