🌋NaturalHIGH · 8/10
Tsunami: Read the Natural Warning Signs
An official siren can come late. The ocean itself warns you minutes earlier — if you recognize it.
THE NATURAL SIGNS (act on ANY of these; don't wait for a siren)
- The ocean pulls far back from shore, exposing the seabed, seconds to minutes before the wave.
- A loud roar like a train or jet coming from offshore.
- Strong, prolonged ground shaking near the coast (a local-source earthquake — you may have only 10-20 minutes).
WHAT TO DO
1. RUN to HIGH GROUND or move INLAND immediately — don't wait for an official alert.
2. On foot go uphill; in a car, drive inland/uphill only if roads are clear — otherwise run, don't sit in traffic near the water.
3. If you cannot reach high ground, go to the upper floors (3rd story or higher) of a sturdy reinforced-concrete building, or climb a strong tree as a last resort.
4. Stay put. A tsunami is a SERIES of waves, often with the 2nd, 3rd or later wave larger than the first. Do not return until officials confirm hours have passed with no more waves.
DO NOT
- Walk out onto the suddenly exposed sea floor to look. This is exactly where the water will return.
- Assume it's over after one wave.
- Trust a small-looking distant wave — tsunamis grow dramatically as they reach shallow water.