Tsunami Fact vs Fiction. (Roads may be impassible, you’ll just contribute to the traffic jam, and you may not get to safety. Let us start with the lesson, perhaps: Don’t use a tsunami siren to warn about gusty winds. Do not wait for all of the natural warning signs (strong shaking, withdrawal of the sea, strange roar of the sea) to occur before leaving the beach. The first step in escaping a tsunami is educating yourself, so find the “higher ground” now before it is too late. Avoid disaster areas. Read on. Tsunami warnings are usually issued by NOAA's Tsunami Warning Center, and it's important to tune in after an earthquake to find out whether a tsunami warning has been issued. Hop in your car to get to higher ground. Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download. After the wave crashes onto land, the water carries all kinds of debris back to sea, which may include a variety of toxic chemicals. Fiction. Your presence might interfere with emergency response operations and put you at further risk from the residual effects of floods. Fact. Most people do not survive being swept into a tsunami. Step 9: Save lives, not possessions. Rush to the beach after the first wave to see what has washed up on shore. After a tsunami. (A tsunami may include several waves arriving over a period of hours.) Story highlights. Do not return to coastal areas until tsunami warning is over. Disposing of Liquid Waste from Autopsies in Tsunami-Affected Areas pdf icon [PDF – 140kb] Management of Dead Bodies in Disaster Situations external icon From the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) MMWR: Health Concerns Associated with Disaster Victim Identification After a Tsunami — Thailand, Dec 26, 2004–Mar 31, 2005 Do not stay in low-lying coastal areas after a strong earthquake has been felt. The next wave may be larger than the first one. If you are swept up, cling to a floating object Prepare for a tsunami. A tsunami is a series of waves that may continue for hours. Tell family and friends you're OK. Keep tuned in to official information sources or local media. Map out where you would go—on foot, because roads will be flooded. Tsunamis are giant walls of water. Upon returning to your boat after a tsunami hits land, be cautious because wave conditions may be severe and strong currents may exist for a period after the tsunami hits. Trying to retrieve things and belongings may hamper your escape by causing you to lose valuable time. Move to higher ground immediately, don't wait for a warning. Don't assume the danger is over after the … With as little as 20 to 30 minutes before a tsunami hits, you must prepare now for what you’d do if you live near the coast. Fiction. Occasionally, tsunamis can form walls of water (known as tsunami bores) but tsunamis normally have the appearance of a fast-rising and fast-receding flood. They can be similar to a tide cycle occurring in just 10 to 60 minutes instead of 12 hours. But there are a few ways you can protect yourself from these natural disasters. Do not assume that after one wave the danger is over. A U.S. Marine helicopter loaded with food flies over Lampuuk in northern Sumatra after a tsunami killed most of the village's 7,000 residents–and nearly 230,000 people on … Know what to not do DURING AND AFTER a Tsunami. Immediately after a tsunami . During.