How to Prepare Yourself for a Tsunami Hit?
A tsunami may arrive within minutes, and its effects are likely to stay for at least 12-24 hours. If you are living in coastal areas, it is essential to keep your ears open for official warnings and advisories. Let us discuss the significant tips that need to follow before, during, and after a tsunami-
Before a Tsunami
Compared to other countries, Tsunamis in India rarely happen. However, it is important to prepare yourself if you reside or work on the coast. You may not feel a massive undersea earthquake from far away, but you must activate your warning alerts. To keep you and everyone safe in your family, you must understand the official warnings and be ready with the evacuation plan.
Follow the below instructions in case of an unfortunate tsunami attack in your home-
- The first and foremost tip is to keep your warning alert on if you are at home, workplace, or school/college. However, if you reside in a high-risk area, keep yourself updated with the evacuation plans for each location.
- If you need time-to-time updates on every coast, you can tune in to the Indian Metrological Department. They significantly monitor every move and forecast coastal weather.
- Being prepared is anyway better than being stuck in an unwanted situation. Therefore, prepare an emergency kit, which includes items like food, drinking water, cash, portable radio, baby food, first aid, etc. However, you can add essentials as per the need of you and your family.
- Connect with the local public health authorities to get food supplies and medical help if you are stuck at home or your workplace.
You must follow all the above tips when the State Government or Central Government issues a warning regarding a tsunami. Moreover, opt for a flood insurance policy as it covers the home structure when damaged due to excessive water, like- floods, cyclones, and tsunamis.
You may also read- Home Insurance during Floods
During a Tsunami
If you feel an earthquake near the coast, the best advice you can follow is-
- Drop- means go to the ground level before the earthquake makes you fall abruptly.
- Cover- means to shed under a piece of heavy furniture such as a table or desk to protect your head from falling objects.
- Hold- means to hold that object tightly and keep yourself covered under it.
Other than these points, be aware of other signs of tsunamis, such as-
- Near the coast, a strong earthquake can last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
- You can notice a rapid rise or fall in the water level along with unusual noise.
- A series of waves may continue for hours. If you cannot evacuate to a higher ground level, move to a higher floor or onto a roof or a tree.
- Finally, yet importantly, listen to warnings and instructions from local authorities. Stay put until they declare everything is safe and there is no movement in the ocean.
After a Tsunami
- Take all the precautions and follow all the instructions given by the local authorities.
- Be prepared for after effects, sometimes aftershocks generate another tsunami leading to huge loss of human lives and property.
- A tsunami may continue for hours, and get yourself prepared for its secondary effects, such as landslides, mudflows, damaged infrastructure, contaminated water, and other related hazards.
- Stay out of a building that has water because the force of water can cause cracks in the floors, rooftops, or walls, causing heavy destruction.
- If you are unsure what is inside your home, do not enter. Always rely on the security or rescue team to clean your place for re-entry.
- Avoid using contaminated water. Instead, use the drinking water you have stored for an emergency.
- Most importantly, insure your home with the right home insurance policy. During a tsunami, there can be a huge loss of property due to heavy water flow, so getting a home insurance policy should be your utmost priority.
You may also read- A Beginner’s Guide to Home Insurance
Final Thoughts
A tsunami is a natural disaster, and experiencing it can be challenging enough. With the help of the above-mentioned tips, you should be aware of the place where you reside and take all the preventive measures. Another important thing to do is to have adequate property insurance so that you get compensation for any loss incurred due to such unfortunate incidents.
