Here’s a clear, safety-focused guide on what to do before, during and after a tsunami. This is general guidance: always follow your local authorities first.

🌊 Before a tsunami: prepare to survive

Focus on 3 things: know your risk, have a plan, have supplies.

1. Know if you’re in danger

  • Find out if your home, school, and workplace are in a tsunami hazard or evacuation zone along the coast.
  • Learn how high your street is above sea level and how far it is from the shoreline or rivers connected to the sea.
  • Identify safe areas: ideally at least about 30 m (100 ft) above sea level and 3 km (2 miles) inland, or upper floors of strong reinforced concrete buildings if high ground is not nearby.

2. Learn warning signs and alerts

Natural tsunami warning signs you must take seriously:

  • A strong or long earthquake near the coast (shaking that is hard to stand through, or lasting more than ~20 seconds).
  • Sudden, unusual rise or fall of the sea level, especially water receding far and exposing the seabed or fish.
  • A loud roar from the ocean that sounds like a jet or train.

Do not wait for an official alert if you notice these; act immediately.

Also:

  • Sign up for local tsunami or emergency alerts (SMS, apps, sirens, radio, TV, weather radio).
  • Know what different alert levels (watch, advisory, warning) mean in your country and what actions they expect.

3. Make an evacuation and family plan

  • Plan at least two evacuation routes from home, school and work to safe high ground or inland areas; avoid bridges or routes that may flood.
  • Practice (drill) walking the routes so you can follow them at night, in bad weather, or when panicked.
  • Decide a meeting point away from the coast in case your family is separated when the tsunami hits.
  • Learn how to turn off gas, electricity and water in your home to reduce fire and contamination risk if there’s damage.
  • If you have children, learn the school’s tsunami plan and pickup location; phones and roads may be overloaded.

4. Prepare emergency supplies

Have a “grab-and-go” backpack ready near the door:

  • Water (small bottles), canned or long-life food, manual can opener.
  • First-aid kit, personal medications, glasses, basic hygiene items.
  • Flashlight, extra batteries, battery or hand-crank radio, power bank.
  • Copies of important documents in waterproof bags (IDs, insurance, prescriptions, contacts).
  • Warm clothing, rain protection, comfortable shoes, whistle.
  • Supplies for babies, older adults, or pets if needed.

Keep smaller kits at work and in your car if you often travel in coastal zones.

🌊 During a tsunami: act fast, don’t wait

1. If you feel an earthquake near the coast

  • As soon as the shaking stops and you can safely move, evacuate: go immediately to high ground or inland, do not wait for an official warning.
  • Move on foot if possible to avoid traffic jams and damaged roads.
  • Stay away from beaches, harbors, rivers and streams that lead to the sea.

2. If an official tsunami warning or siren is issued

  • Follow instructions from local emergency services without delay; evacuate using preplanned routes.
  • Help children, older adults, and people with disabilities if you can do so safely.
  • Take your emergency bag only if it is right at hand; do not waste time packing.

3. If you cannot reach high ground in time

  • Go to the highest floor or roof of a strong, reinforced concrete building (at least the third storey or higher).
  • As a last resort, climb a strong, tall tree or grab onto a floating object if you are swept into the water.

4. Critical “don’ts” during a tsunami

  • Do not go to the shore to watch the waves; if you can see the wave, you are too close to outrun it.
  • Do not try to surf or ride the tsunami; the currents and debris are extremely deadly.
  • Do not return to low-lying areas after the first wave; multiple waves can arrive over hours, sometimes larger than the first.

🌊 After a tsunami: stay alive, then recover

Even after the water recedes, serious dangers remain.

1. Stay in safe areas until cleared

  • Remain on high ground or in designated safe shelters until authorities say it is safe to leave.
  • Expect several hours of risk: more waves, strong currents and surges can continue long after the first impact.

2. Avoid secondary dangers

  • Stay away from flooded areas, damaged buildings, bridges, and roads; they can collapse or hide sharp debris, chemicals, or open manholes.
  • Do not touch downed power lines or anything in contact with them; report them to authorities if you can.
  • Do not use tap water unless it has been declared safe; use bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking and food prep.

3. Communication and help

  • Use SMS, messaging apps, or social media to tell relatives you are safe to keep phone networks free for emergencies.
  • Listen to battery-powered radio or trusted channels for updates, relief locations, and instructions.
  • If trained, give basic first aid to injured people until professional help arrives, but keep yourself out of danger.

4. Returning home and longer-term recovery

  • Return home only when authorities allow it; they may need to inspect for structural damage, gas leaks, or contamination.
  • Wear sturdy shoes and gloves when cleaning; watch for broken glass, nails, chemicals, and unstable walls.
  • Photograph damage for insurance if that is available in your area and it is safe to do so.
  • Watch for emotional stress in children and adults; seek community or professional support if needed, as disasters often cause ongoing trauma.

Quick HTML table of key actions

Phase Do Don’t
Before Know if you live, work, or study in a tsunami zone; learn warning signs; plan and practice evacuation routes; prepare emergency kits; protect important documents.[7][5][9][1] Don’t assume sirens or alerts will always come in time; don’t ignore drills or local hazard maps.[5][10][1]
During After strong shaking or an official warning, go immediately to high ground or inland; move on foot; go to upper floors of strong buildings if you can’t evacuate horizontally.[7][3][5][1] Don’t wait to “see the wave”; don’t go near beaches, rivers or harbors; don’t return after the first wave.[10][3][5][7][1]
After Stay in safe zones until authorities give the all-clear; avoid floodwaters and damaged structures; use safe water and follow official guidance for return and cleanup.[3][4][9][10] Don’t walk or drive through floodwater; don’t use utilities in damaged buildings; don’t spread unverified information that could cause panic.[4][9][10]

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A practical, step-by-step guide on what to do before, during and after a tsunami, including warning signs, evacuation planning, safety tips and recovery basics for coastal communities.