EVENT: Earthquake and Tsunami Drill on October 17 at 10:17 AM

Local jurisdictions and tribes throughout Washington State will be participating in the annual Great Washington ShakeOut earthquake drill and outer coastal communities will also participate in the Tsunami Warning Communications Test on October 17, 2013 at 10:17 a.m. The All Hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB) sirens in Clallam County will be used to conduct a test of the tsunami warning system.

A TEST MESSAGE and ACTUAL WARNING TONE will be sounded to help familiarize residents in at-risk coastal communities with the sound made by the sirens during an actual tsunami warning. This test will be different than the routine monthly testing that has been occurring on the first Monday of each month since it will broadcast an audible siren wail tone instead of a chime tone for three (3) minutes.

The customized test message that will be broadcast by the sirens is as follows:

“This is a TEST of the AHAB system. If you are in a low coastal area, test your evacuation route now. If this had been a real emergency you should: Follow evacuation routes, move to higher ground or inland now , do not delay, do not return until directed to do so and tune into your local radio stations for further instructions. This was only a test.”

There are two ways you will learn of an approaching tsunami: natural warnings and official warnings…such as the Tsunami Siren test on October 17 at 10:17 AM.

The test is focused on a tsunami coming from far away. If you hear that an official tsunami warning has been issued, move away from the beach and out of harbor areas and seek more information without using the phone. Tune into local radio or television stations for more information. Follow the directions of emergency personnel who may ask you to evacuate low lying coastal areas.

If a large earthquake occurs close to our coast, there will be no time for an official warning to be issued. You must rely on recognizing the natural warning signs of a tsunami. If you feel a large earthquake, see the ocean water move far out exposing the sea floor, or hear an unusually load roar from the coast, move to higher ground or inland as soon as it is safe to do so.

Use tsunami hazard zone signs and tsunami evacuation maps to recognize safe and potentially hazardous areas. If there are no maps or signs in your area, go at an area 50 feet above sea level or 2 miles inland, away from the coast. If you are outside of a tsunami evacuation zone, shelter in place. There is no need to evacuate.

When a major earthquake or tsunami does occur, listen to your radio to get further information. Don’t call friends and neighbors – you will tie up the telephones needed by response personnel. Only call 911 if there is a life-threatening emergency.

Respond to whichever type of warning – natural or official – you get first. Don’t wait for an official warning if you feel a large earthquake!

This is a good opportunity to find out more about preparing for earthquakes, tsunamis or any other disaster on the coast. Contact the American Red Cross 360-457-7933 for more information on how best to protect yourself and your family.

Contact:

Ken Dubuc, Chief

(360) 417-4653

Janessa Hurd, CMC

City Clerk

Phone: (360) 417-4634

Port Angeles City Hall, 321 East Fifth Street

Port Angeles, WA, 98362

Japan to help pay for tsunami debris cleanup – CBC

Good to hear that Japan is going to give something back to our governments for the tsunami debris.

The Japanese government will help pay for the disposal of debris washing up on Canadian and American shores due to the catastrophic tsunami which hit the country last year, according to press reports from Tokyo. Japan does not have to take care of such debris under international law, but in a report on Monday the English-language Nikkei newspaper said officials would announce a plan to provide assistance to the U.S. and Canada later this month.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/09/03/bc-japan-pay-tsunami-debris.html

Radioactive Tuna Migrated Into Californian Waters From Japan – Medical News Today

The good news here is that the levels are lower than that which is deemed hazardous, the bad news is that it wasn’t detected by people being paid to monitor such things, but by some researchers looking at migratory issues.

It is critical that the government get their monitoring in place and in front of these kinds of issues, before the public panics and destroys the fishing industry , which is likely to happen from this anyway. Many people do not trust government monitoring to be accurate and timely.

Pacific bluefin tuna which have migrated from Japan to California have been found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium from the Fukushima nuclear accident, researchers from Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific have reported in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Despite radiation contamination, levels so far detected are well below those considered hazardous for human health, the authors emphasized.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245939.php

%d bloggers like this: