Human casualties caused by tsunamis can be measured in hundreds of thousands of people. Despite the danger of this natural disaster, people are able to minimize the number of victims and damage caused. The cause of tsunamis is underwater earthquakes with high magnitude. Seismological scientists insist on the dissemination of information in order to save human lives. Compared to other natural disasters, tsunamis occur less often and do not last as long, but its destructive power should not be underestimated. The UN General Assembly proposed to hold the Tsunami Awareness Day annually on November 5.
How did the idea of celebrating World Tsunami Awareness Day come about?
At all times, man was drawn to water. We all know the calming power it has. However, in a matter of seconds, water can turn from a place of peace and reliability into a terrible angry element that spares no one.
The “younger” brother of the tsunami can be considered storm waves. The difference between them is that during a tsunami, water affects not only the surface water, but also the water mass in the ocean column.
Tsunamis outpace even the wind and reach up to 700 km/h. In addition to underwater earthquakes, tsunamis can also be caused by landslides of glaciers, volcanic eruptions, and meteorites falling into the ocean. The word “tsunami” itself is formed by two Japanese words – “tsu” (harbor, port) and “nami” (wave).
Over the last century, the number of intervals between tsunamis has decreased, which means that they should be expected to occur more often. The accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2001 is the result of a tsunami that was caused by an earthquake.
In order for the society to be more aware, the UN decided to determine one day when citizens of the whole world will be introduced to information on how to protect themselves during such a disaster.
The date was chosen in honor of a Japanese peasant. On November 5, 1854, he donated his harvest to save his village and fellow villagers. He was the first to notice the impending disaster and set fire to his sheaves of rice. People saw the fire and managed to leave their houses and village in time. When the tsunami was over, he made every effort to rebuild the village.
That is why, in December 2015, on the initiative of the Japanese delegation, it was established to celebrate November 5 as the Tsunami Awareness Day.
Statistics
In the twentieth century, the most destructive tsunamis were in 1906, 1923, 1938, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1992. There were 58 of them in total, more than 260,000 people died as a result of these natural disasters.
In 2004, the most powerful tsunami in human history occurred. It affected 14 countries of the world. Then the natural disaster took the lives of about 220,000 people.
Frequent Questions and answers on World Tsunami Awareness Day
Can you protect yourself from the elements?
There is no unequivocal answer to this question. More developed countries have modern seismological stations and are able to warn the population in advance. Unfortunately, earthquakes and tsunamis are known a few hours before they start, and it is very difficult to notify all regions in time.
Where do tsunamis most often occur?
Most often, tsunamis are observed in the western part of the Pacific Ocean.
How to save yourself during a tsunami if you find yourself in the water?
It is necessary to remove heavy shoes and wet clothes. Try to cling to some object and try to float to the nearest building or to the elevation of the landscape. When the wave recedes, it will be possible to run ashore. It should be remembered that the second wave is stronger than the first, and the interval between the waves is very short.
Interesting Facts
The date for this day was chosen because of the story of Inamura-no-hi. It tells about a peasant who in 1854 saved his fellow villagers from a tsunami by donating his property. The peasant set fire to the rice sheaves and thus warned the people.
Japan turned to the UN with a proposal to hold this important day on November 5. It is this country that has the most experience in tsunami forecasting, response measures and disaster recovery methods.
A tsunami is not a single wave, but a complex of 3-6 waves. They move at a speed that is ten times greater than the speed of movement of waves formed by the wind. The numbers are huge – 900-950 kilometers per hour. The interval is from 2-3 minutes to several hours.
In 1960, one of the strongest earthquakes in history occurred off the coast of Chile, causing waves 24 meters high. Only 15 minutes after the tremors, the tsunami covered the coast, after 15 hours it reached Hawaii, and after another 7 hours it reached Japan. The total distance covered from the place of the earthquake is more than 16 thousand kilometers.
Over the past 100 years, tsunamis have killed almost 250 million people. The most powerful tsunami in history was recorded in 2004. The natural disaster brought destruction and death to 14 countries, about 220,000 people died. Thailand, Indonesia, and India were the most affected by the waves.
How to celebrate World Tsunami Awareness Day?
Seismological scientists of international associations advise on this day to hold informative lessons for children in schools, lectures and presentations for students and workers of all professions.
Thanks to the Internet, we can see what damage a tsunami can bring. Today, there are a large number of feature and science films that cover the problem of natural disasters quite widely.
It is also recommended to visit a number of events organized to familiarize citizens with the causes and consequences of the tsunami. During such events, the population learns how to act in the event of a threat, where to hide, which services to notify of their whereabouts.
Why is this day important?
If people are aware of safety measures for their lives and the lives of their loved ones during a tsunami, the number of victims and victims can be greatly reduced.
Tsunami Awareness Day was established for this purpose. Of course, this applies more to countries where there is a threat of tsunamis: island states or those that have access to the ocean.
But being knowledgeable will not hurt everyone, for example, tourists who are going to visit such countries. The opportunity to learn as much as possible about the disaster and precautions should not be neglected. By joint efforts, humanity will be able to save the maximum number of lives.
When will we celebrate World Tsunami Awareness Day?
