EDITORIAL
Are we ready if a tsunami strikes?

One moment, the sky is blue and the ocean is calm. The next, the water rises rapidly, and a series of giant waves are engulfing beaches, streets, homes, vehicles, animals and people.

That's how quickly an earthquake-driven tsunami can strike. Sunday's, with its epicenter just off the western tip of Sumatra, sent giant seismic waves from Indonesia to India and even Somalia. The death toll was at least 22,000 and climbing.

Experts lament the lack of an early warning system in the Indian Ocean. We can bet that few if any were prepared for this natural disaster, and that accounts for a big part of this tragedy.

Hopefully, it will serve as a warning for Hawai'i, which experts say is long overdue for a tsunami. Before the last one struck in 1964, the Islands were hit about every seven years. Earthquakes in Alaska and Chile respectively caused the 1946 tsunami that wiped out Laupahoehoe Point and its school, and the 1960 tsunami that destroyed the Shinmachi area of Hilo.

You might recall the chaos in 1986 when a scare caused by a major earthquake in Alaska resulted in evacuations that created islandwide gridlock. Had a tsunami really hit, those stuck in the danger zone — and there were many — could have been killed.

Of course, the time we have to prepare depends on where the earthquake hits. For example, seabed sensors near Alaska and the Pacific Northwest can warn us of major seismic activity in that area, and gives us at least a couple of hours to prepare. Not the same for South America, where we have no sensor. And if an earthquake struck much closer to home, we'd have to get to higher ground immediately.

So let's review evacuation procedures. Tsunami danger zones are marked on evacuation maps in the Disaster Preparedness section at the front of the White Pages phonebook. Once the sirens go off, listen for radio or TV instructions.

Those in the marked coastal zones should move to higher ground immediately. People in steel and concrete buildings that stand at least six stories high can move to the third floor or higher. Those outside the danger zones should stay put until the "all clear" signal. And time permitting, those in boats can sail at least three miles out to sea to clear the danger zone.

What's happening in Asia should serve as a wake-up call; there is no reason for us to be unprepared.