Disaster Preparedness: Tsunami Awareness in OregonBy: Lydia Patton

Presentation goals• Define the importance of disaster relief agencies and

non-governmental organizations.• Understanding the science of a tsunami and how

susceptible the state of Oregon may become to a disaster.

• Initiate options for tsunami education and methods of preparedness.

Disaster Relief Agencies and federal and non-governmental organizations

• American Red Cross• Federal Emergency Management Agency• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration• United States Army Corps of Engineers• Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries

Vulnerable communities

The Oregon coast is one of the most profitable vacation spots in the Pacific Northwest. Many families migrate to this region every year and the population in many of these areas has increased.

What is a Tsunami?

• A Tsunami is a wave caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions (National Ocean Service).

• Deep within the ocean, small waves no larger than a few inches develop. As these waves move inland, they increase to higher heights

Why should Tsunami Preparedness be priority in the state of Oregon!!

Volcanic Tsunamis:Volcanic activity can potentially generate waves that develop into a Tsunami.

Volcanic tsunamis can be caused by:• Caldera collapses• Tectonic movement• Flank failure into a water source• Pyroclastic flow discharge into the sea (Oregon State University, n.d.)

Approximately 5% of tsunamis are formed from volcanoes and approximately 16.9% of volcanic fatalities occur from tsunamis (Tanguy, J.C., 1988; Oregon State University et. al.).

Another reason why tsunami Awareness and Preparedness should be initiated in the state of Oregon…In 2011, an earthquake with a 9.0 magnitude struck off the coast of Japan (Wikipedia,2014 ). The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 40.5 meters and travelled as far as 10km inland (Wikipedia, et al.)

Distant earthquakes

On April 19, 2014 there was a massive earthquake that was documented at 7.8 that originated out of the Solomon Islands (The Oregonian, 2014). However, after taking protocol, it was confirmed that this massive earthquake did not pose a threat to the Western states of Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska (The Oregonian et. al.).

So how can we educate our communities and establish preparedness? And what needs to be

done?

PropositionI propose that health departments along with disaster relief agencies and organizations develop ways in which tourists and residents of coastal communities can protect themselves and are provided ample enough time for evacuation measures.

ReferencesAmerican Red Cross. Who are We? Retrieved on May 1, 2014 from: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/tsunami

Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mission. Retrieved on May 1, 2014 from: http://m.fema.gov/tsunamis

IgeoNews. (2013). Ring of Fire. 452 Volcanos Threaten the Pacific: Earthquakes, Tsunamis. Video. Retrieved on May 2, 2014 from: https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHZXdR-ROOI

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). Tsunami. Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from: http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/

National Ocean Service. (2014). What is a Tsunami? Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from:

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tsunami.html

Oregon State University. (n.d.). Volcanic Tsunamis. Retrieved on April 14, 2014 from: http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/tsunamis

ReferencesThe Oregonian. (2014). No Tsunami Threat to Pacific North West after 7.8 earthquake. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from: http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2014/04/solomon_islands_78_earthquake.html

United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Explore Mount St. Helens…Discover Ecosystems in Action. Retrieved on April 13, 2014 from: http://www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens

United States Geological Survey. (n.d.). Mount Hood-History and Hazards of Oregon’s Most Recently Active Volcano. Retrieved on April 14, 2014 from: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs060-00/

Wikipedia. (2014). 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Retrieved on May 2, 2014 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami