- Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio, Coast Guard
emergency frequency station, or other reliable source for emergency
information. The tsunami may have damaged roads, bridges, or other
places that may be unsafe.
- Help injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where
appropriate. Call for help. Do not move seriously injured persons
unless they are in immediate danger of further injury.
- Help a neighbor who may require special assistance--infants,
elderly people, and people with disabilities. Elderly people and
people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who
care for them or who have large families may need additional
assistance in emergency situations.
- Use the telephone only for emergency calls. Telephone lines
are frequently overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to be
clear for emergency calls to get through.
- Stay out of the building if waters remain around it.
Tsunami waters, like flood waters, can undermine foundations, causing
buildings to sink, floors to crack, or walls to collapse.
- When re-entering buildings or homes, use extreme caution.
Tsunami-driven flood waters may have damaged buildings where you least
expect it. Carefully watch every step you take.
- Wear sturdy shoes. The most common injury following a
disaster is cut feet.
- Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when examining
buildings. Battery-powered lighting is the safest and easiest,
preventing fire hazard for the user, occupants, and building.
- Examine walls, floors, doors, staircases, and windows to make
sure that the building is not in danger of collapsing.
- Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage. Cracks
and damage to a foundation can render a building uninhabitable.
- Look for fire hazards. There may be broken or leaking gas
lines, flooded electrical circuits, or submerged furnaces or
electrical appliances. Flammable or explosive materials may come
from upstream. Fire is the most frequent hazard following floods.
- Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing
or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn
off the gas using the outside main valve if you can, and call the
gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any
reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
- Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or
broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off
the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have
to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an
electrician first for advice. Electrical equipment should be checked
and dried before being returned to service.
- Check for sewage and water line damage. If you suspect
sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a
plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and
avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water from
undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes.
- Use tap water if local health officials advise it is safe.
- Watch out for animals, especially poisonous snakes, that may
have come into buildings with the water. Use a stick to poke through
debris. Tsunami flood waters flush snakes and animals out of
- Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could
- Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its
contents, for insurance claims.
- Open the windows and doors to help dry the building.
- Shovel mud while it is still moist to give walls and floors an
opportunity to dry.
- Check food supplies. Any food that has come in contact with
flood waters may be contaminated and should be thrown out.