Inspired by other threads (I apologize if this has been discussed but I didn’t see it) if you DID have warning of a Tsunami coming, what could you do to save yourself? Obviously, moving inland will help, but how far in would you have to go? What about getting to the top of a sturdy 10 story building? Would that work?
Is there anything that you could do if you saw the water recede, or is it too late at that point?
Finally, what is the main mechanism of death in a Tsunami? Are people bludgeoned by large objects, swept out to see, drowned on what was a few minutes ago dry land?
Depends on the scale of the thing, I suspect, but one thing I did notice on the news footage was a good number of palm trees still standing upright (of course I don’t know how many there were in the first place)
Going as far in or up on land would be your best bet. How far depends on the wave size, but for something the size of the waves impacting Sri Lanka and India you might wish to aim for at least a mile and/or elevation of 50 feet or more. You might still be able to save yourself even if you see the water receding, but that will also really depend on the size of the wave.
As in regular flood events, many people caught up in a tsunami will drown, and some will die from crushing/impact injuries (from the debris in the water with them, or from being thrown against some stationary object).
Another thing you can do is head out to sea. If you have a very fast boat, then head for deep water. The height of the tsunami at sea is only a few centimeters…
if you are on or near the beach and you feel an earthquake, do not wait for the tsunami warning. leave the area immediatly.
if you notice that the water on the beach is receding, leave the area immediatly. (if you are in nova scotia and near the bay of fundy ask a native if this is normal before you run screaming.) you may yell, “tsunami” as you run, to help others on the beach leave as well.
depending on where you are you may be able to take refuge in a building on or about the 5th floor.
the west coast and alaska tsunami warning centre has brochures. number 4 is one you may want to look at. you will need acrobat to read the brochures.
The tsunami is moving 500 MPH in the open water. Once it hits the continental shelf, the water depth decreases dramatically, and the wave begins to drag on the bottom, slowing its velocity and increasing its height, as Reeder notes. Once it begins to break near the shoreline, its speed has been reduced to maybe 30 MPH, depending on magnitude and shoreline geography.