How does Hawaii prepare for tsunamis?

Be prepared to evacuate when advised/ordered by civil defense. TSUNAMI EVACUATION - Sirens will sound. Turn on radio. Those who are in tsunami evacuation zones must begin evacuation when the evacuation advisory/order is issued by civil defense. read more

When a tsunami watch or warning is issued by NOAA, typically through the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (http://ptwc.weather.gov), civil defense sirens will sound a particular sequence of tones to alert citizens to the problem (there are tones for hurricanes and other civil defense emergencies, too). read more

These tsunamis have been generated from various places (Aleutian Islands, Chile, Japan, Russian Kamchatka Peninsula and Hawaii County). The volcanoes in Hawaii County can produce a local tsunami with a 20-60 minute wave arrival time for neighboring islands. read more

In fact, most tsunamis don't reach much higher than regular ocean waves on the beach. But in some cases, the tsunami will develop into potentially destructive waves. If you live in a coastal area, it's imperative that you know what to do should this situation arise. read more