FY 2009

The tsunami-resilient coastal community

Bernard, E.N.

J. Earthq. Tsunami, 2(4), 279–285 (2008)

The concept of a tsunami-resilient coastal community is a proactive way to change attitudes from “tsunamis will not affect our community” to “preparing for the next tsunami.” The three elements of a tsunami-resilient coastal community include:

1. hazard assessment, the evaluation of the written, oral, and geological history of the community to assess the extent of the tsunami hazard for a specific community;
2. community preparedness, the building of a tsunami-resilient community that functions before, during, and after the tsunami;
3. warning guidance, the acceptance of responsibility for receiving the warnings and taking appropriate action.

Communities that adopt these measures will not only save lives, but will recover faster from the next tsunami. The tsunami-resilient coastal community will survive the next tsunami.