• Use resources about tsunamis to create a plan for a warning system
• Create a 5 - 10 minute presentation on the plan

In instances where the leading edge of the tsunami is its first peak, succeeding waves can lead to further flooding. Again, being educated about a tsunami is important, to realize that when the water level drops the first time, the danger is not yet over.

Regions with a high risk of tsunamis use tsunami warning systems to forecast tsunamis and warn the general population. On the west coast of the United States, which is prone to Pacific Ocean tsunamis, warning signs advise people where to run in the event of an incoming tsunami.

One of early warnings comes from nearby animals. Many animals sense danger and flee to higher ground before the water arrives. The Lisbon quake is the first documented case of such a phenomenon in Europe. The phenomenon was also noted in Sri Lanka in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (Lambourne , [BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4381395.stm ] ). Some scientists speculate that animals may have an ability to sense subsonic Rayleigh waves from an earthquake minutes or hours before a tsunami strikes shore (Kenneally, [Slate http://www.slate.com/id/2111608/ ] ).

While it is of course not possible to prevent a tsunami, in some particularly tsunami-prone countries some measures have been taken to reduce the damage caused on shore. Japan has implemented an extensive program of building tsunami walls of up to 4.5m (13.5 ft) high in front of populated coastal areas. Other localities have built floodgates and channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunamis. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as tsunamis are often higher than the barriers. For instance, the tsunami which hit Hokkaido on July 12, 1993 created waves as much as 30m (100 ft) tall - as high as a 10-story building. Although the port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a tsunami wall, the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area. The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the tsunami but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life. (Wikipedia)



Procedure
Although it is not actually possible to prevent a tsunami, warning systems and structures to help prevent damage to shorelines have been created in areas where a tsunami has a higher chance of occurring.

1. Your team of scientists has been charged with deciding where in the world to install a tsunami warning system. Your group only has the money to create one system that can cover a 1,000 mile square area, it is up to the group to decide which area of the world is most in need. Use the links below to make your decision, to describe the types of information that a warning center would need to make accurate decisions, and any other improvements that could be made to the area to decrease the impact if a tsunami does strike.

• International Tsunami Information Center
• West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
• Japan Meteorological Agency
• Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
• USGS Earthquake Data
• Volcano Data
• Weekly Volcano Activity Reports
• Weather Data
• DART Buoy Data
• U.S. National Data Buoy Center
• UK Buoys Weather Map

• Building Design
• Mangroves
• Earthquake Proof Buildings

• Where in the world would you put a warning system? (remember it can only cover 1,000 square miles)
  
• Where would you put the control center for the warning system?
  
• What important data would you make sure to have streaming or available to the scientists working on the warning system?
  
• How would you get the data/information to the control center?