By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – An Indonesian disaster expert on Thursday said coastal communities should not wait for official tsunami warnings before evacuating, as destructive waves could reach shore before authorities can issue alerts.
Dr. Abdul Muhari, Deputy Minister for Prevention of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority, made the reminder during the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) Over Coffee Dialogues held on Thursday in Sta. Ana, Cagayan in observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD).
Drawing on his specialization in coastal disasters and tsunami engineering, and his experience with major tsunami disasters in Indonesia and Japan, Muhari explained that tsunamis are not always preceded by extremely strong ground shaking or the noticeable retreat of seawater.
Submarine landslides, volcanic activity, or earthquakes that produce prolonged but relatively weak shaking can trigger tsunamis, he added.
He emphasized the importance of recognizing natural warning signs, especially prolonged ground shaking.
Muhari shared the 20-20-20 principle as a community preparedness guideline, advising residents to evacuate immediately if ground shaking lasts more than 20 seconds and to aim to reach an elevation of approximately 20 meters within the available evacuation window within 20 minutes or less.
Communities, he said, should not wait for official alerts when natural warning signs indicate a possible tsunami threat.
He warned that even relatively small tsunami waves can be deadly because of their powerful currents and the debris they carry.
The OCD, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of public awareness, hazard education and preparedness exercises.
The agency also urged the public to heed warnings and advisories issued by science agencies, such as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), as well as national, regional and local disaster risk reduction and management offices. (PNA)
