Spreading the Word about Tsunamis
My mind keeps returning to the idea that more people might have survived the tsunamis had a better warning system been in place. Perhaps it’s because I’m an information provider.
This weekend, I learned a bit about the 1946 tsunami that hit Hawaii. The television show Nature includes the Hilo tsunami in its program Violent Hawaii. According to its report, only buildings made of reinforced concrete blocks from the ocean remained undamaged after the waves left. I can’t remember the death toll, but it was less than 200. Today, estimates state 170,000 people could be on a beach during the day. Although a warning system is in place, there’s no telling what might happen when the next tsunami hits Hawaii.
On Weekend America, a woman who survived the 1946 tsunami when she was a little girl emphasized the importance of continuing to education people about the danger of tsunamis. It’s not enough to have a warning system in place, she believes, if people don’t take the warnings seriously and know what to do during a tsunami. Having a warning system is pointless without awareness. She mentioned that during a recent tsunami warning, 300-400 people went surfing. Having the information is one thing; knowing what to do with it and being able to take advantage of it are different matters.
