The 2004 Sumatra Tsunami and U.S. Tsunami Preparedness

1
The 2004 Sumatra Tsunami and U.S. Tsunami
Preparedness

• Harold Mofjeld
• NOAA/PMEL and NOAA Tsunami Research Program
• Seattle, Washington

2
Objectives

• By the end of this session you should be able to
  
• Help citizens identify tsunami warning signs and
  actions they should take
• Describe the tsunami warning system and tsunami
  preparedness programs

3
Poll

• Do you know the natural warning signs of a
  tsunami?
• Yes
• No

4
Warnings Signs of Tsunami

• Earthquake, ground shaking
• Water withdrawing from shoreline
• Sound like freight train coming from ocean

5
2004 Sumatra Tsunami Damage
Estimated damage 13.6 B
Estimated death toll 150,000
Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and
Humanitarian Assistance Emergency Report
January 8, 2005
6
Northeast Indian Ocean Tectonics
Source USGS
7
USGS Shake Map
8
Vasily Titov NOAA/PMEL
9
Tide Gages Maximum Wave Amplitude
10
Two Hours After the Earthquake
11
Thailand Tsunami Survey
12
Wave Height in Thailand
13
Khoa Lak, Thailand
14
Tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest

• Three Different Types
• Trans-Pacific Tsunamis
• Cascadia Regional Tsunamis
• Local Puget Sound Tsunamis

15
Peak Ground Acceleration
16
Puget Sound Tsunamis
Cascadia SZ
17
U.S. National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program

• GoalReduce the impact oftsunamis on UScoastal
  communities
• StatesAlaska California Hawaii Oregon
  Washington
• Federal Agencies
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin.
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Federal Emergency Management Agency

Frank González, NOAA TIME Center, PMEL, Seattle,
WA
18
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
(DART)

• BPR measures changes in pressure at seafloor
• Data sent to surface buoy, then to the warning
  centers by satellite
• Transmissions limited to hourly reporting of 15
  minute data
• When seismic/ tsunami wave detected, system put
  into alert mode for continuous reporting

19
Rockaway Beach Evacuation Map
20
Tsunami signs in Rockaway Beach, OR
21
(No Transcript)
22
Tsunami Warnings for Pacific States

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Oregon
• Washington

23
Poll

• What is the best time to help residents identify
  tsunami warning signs and what actions to take?
• Now
• Periodically
• All of the above
• None of the above

24
Questions?