New tsunami video gives insights, answers on how to prepare

May 22, 1960, Hilo. Skipper’s Cove in Waiākea area of Hilo. (Photo courtesy: Pacific Tsunami Museum)

A 2025 Tsunami Preparedness Video has been produced by the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education and partners across the state. Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green proclaimed April as Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaiʻi in 2024.

“The short video was designed to put in one place all the information families need to create scientifically based evacuation plans based on their evacuation zone, whether at home, work or school,” said Dennis Hwang, faculty at Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. “The video will also help families prepare for other hazards since it covers emergency communication apps with the emergency management agency for each county, the all-hazard outdoor warning siren system, and evacuation kits.”

This year marks 79 years since the deadly 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake which generated tsunami waves that reached more than 50 feet in areas across the state. The tsunami caused widespread destruction, with 158 deaths, 163 injuries, 488 buildings demolished and 936 other structures damaged. Over time, 32 tsunamis have impacted the state of Hawaiʻi, resulting in 293 deaths and $625 million in damage.

“Tsunamis can occur anywhere, at any time, as there is no tsunami season. Residents must always be prepared to take action,” said Laura Kong, director of NOAA’s International Tsunami Information Center. “Locally, we might have only minutes. The 1975 Kalapana earthquake generated a local tsunami that quickly flooded the campground at Halapē, where a boy scout troop was camping, killing two.”

To prepare for future tsunamis, which can strike with very little warning and occur anywhere, anytime, the counties of Kauaʻi, Maui, Honolulu and Hawaiʻi Island are working with the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, NOAA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and International Tsunami Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, and federal and state partners to safeguard lives and property through coordinated warnings and public messaging. The 2025 Hawaiʻi Tsunami Preparedness Video, which covers tsunami science, evacuation kits, emergency communications with county apps, and more, is a critical part of these messages.

“As we transition from the end of Tsunami Awareness Month to the beginning of hurricane season on June 1, I strongly encourage every resident of Hawaiʻi and every visitor to watch this free resource, which could potentially save their life or the life of a family member,” added Green. “Every resident should also sign up for their respective county’s applicable emergency notification app. I have asked all state department heads to highly encourage their employees to watch the video, and encourage all government and business leaders to do the same.”

The video is available on YouTube and can be accessed through Hawaiʻi Sea Grant’s YouTube Channel as well as organization websites that partnered on the production of the video.

For more information, visit this website.