Tsunamis can be highly threatening for people living in the tsunami zones, such as islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is a red zone for tsunamis. According to research, most tsunamis occur in this ocean. Therefore, the regions in this ocean need the Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System.
This system has been guarding the region for decades. Moreover, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) has disseminated numerous warnings throughout these decades. Furthermore, the system is highly developed. Moreover, it offers international tsunami information.
What is the Pacific Tsunami Warning System?
The PTWS is an early warning system for tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean. It was the US that created the system in 1965 with its center in Hawaii. However, the area covered by this warning system is not only in Hawaii or US regions.
The US government made some policies related to the PTWS. The system will send alerts to coastlines in the US when there is a tsunami coming. Meanwhile, if the tsunami strikes other countries, the PTWS will only send tsunami advice to the affected regions.
In its early development, the system covered areas of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. However, lately, the number of countries joining this system has been increasing, including those in Asia and Australia.
Years ago, the Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System only had limited numbers of seismic stations and tide gages to get the data needed to determine whether or not a tsunami was coming. Now, the technology used in the system is more advanced than before.
In addition, the system has more seismic and tsunami sensors. Therefore, the PTWS can disseminate accurate tsunami warning messages in a timely manner. Due to its advancement, the PTWS provided tsunami guidance for the Indian Ocean from 2005 to 2013.
The PTWS discontinued this tsunami guidance because authorities in the Indian Ocean built tsunami centers in Australia, India, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, the PTWS still provides tsunami guidance in the Caribbean Sea and other parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System Alert Levels
The PTWS divides its alerts into two categories. These two categories are as follows.
Alerts for the US Coastlines
The system will disseminate different levels of alerts according to the seismic and oceanic data. Meanwhile, people getting these alerts must know how to respond to each alert level.
Below are four levels of tsunami alerts from the Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System to the US coastlines.
Warning: The highest level of the alert is ‘warning.’ This alert indicates powerful currents and hazardous coastal flooding. Therefore, people on the shores must move to the inland or higher places.
Advisory: The second level of the alert is ‘advisory.’ The Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System will launch the warning when strong currents and waves are coming. People must stay away from the shores and waterways after getting this alert.
Watch: The PTWS will disseminate the third warning level when the system does not know the effect of the seismic phenomenon on the sea wave. Therefore, people in the coastlines must wait for further information.
Information: The system will disseminate the fourth level of warning if there is a distant tsunami striking non-US regions. This tsunami does not cause any hazards to the US coastlines.
Alerts for non-US Regions
The PTWS will send a tsunami message internationally as advice to its members. The alert levels the system sends come in two types.
Threat: This tsunami message indicates that there will be strong unusual currents or hazardous coastal flooding that endanger people on the shores.
Information: The system disseminates this alerting message if there is a minor tsunami.
How to Communicate the Alerts
The Pacific Tsunami Warning System integrates several communication channels to broadcast tsunami warnings. When the sensors send alerts to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centers via satellites, the warning centers will disseminate a tsunami warning through various channels.
They are radios, cell broadcasts, televisions, and other means. Among these channels, the cell broadcast is a powerful channel. It allows local authorities to disseminate geo-targeted tsunami warnings. Therefore, they can effectively warn those in the affected area.
The cell broadcast is also fast and reliable. It can deliver the warning to thousands of cell phone users within seconds. In addition, it does not require operator services because the broadcast uses radio cells of a cell phone network to distribute alerts.
A tsunami warning system is vital for regions in the Pacific Ocean because most tsunamis occur in this ocean. Therefore, the United States established the Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning System in Hawaii. This system is the oldest. In addition, it doesn’t only warn the US coastlines but also informs other countries.
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