DTRIC Insurance provides tsunami vigilance tips for Tsunami Awareness Month

With Gov. Josh Green proclaiming April as Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawai‘i, DTRIC Insurance is reminding residents — especially those in low-lying areas — to be aware of the dangers of tsunamis and to develop preparedness plans.

While some tsunamis are caused by earthquakes hundreds of miles away, an earthquake near the Hawaiian Islands could provide only minutes to respond.

The most destructive tsunami in Hawai‘i history occurred on April 1, 1946, killing 158 persons and causing extensive property damage. That tsunami originated from the Aleutian islands near Alaska and surprised our state, which was without a tsunami warning system at the time.

“Numerous tsunamis have impacted Hawai‘i through the decades and we want to ensure that the public is prepared in the event a tsunami watch or warning is issued,” said DTRIC Executive Vice President Dennis Rae. “Preparing for a tsunami or other natural disasters ahead of time will help keep you and your loved ones safe.”

Precautions and plans of action

The American Red Cross has these tips on preparing for and dealing with the aftermath of a tsunami:

• View statewide maps to determine if your home, workplace, and children’s school are in tsunami inundation zones.
• Plan your evacuation route from work, school, and other frequented locations; emergency planners recommend going inland for at least two miles and getting higher than 100 feet above sea level or two miles away.
• Practice evacuation routes until they become familiar.
• Know the difference between a tsunami warning and a tsunami watch. A tsunami warning means a tsunami could be close to your area. A tsunami watch means a tsunami hasn’t been verified but could be as little as an hour away.
• In the aftermath of a tsunami, continue listening to local news or NOAA Weather radio for updates and instructions.
• If evacuated, only return when authorities say it is safe. Sometimes a tsunami can go on for a significant time, with waves of various sizes hitting the shoreline in succession.

For home and car insurance claim purposes, Rae recommends doing the following ahead of time:

• Document your personal items beforehand. A detailed home inventory using photos and video (even by using your smartphone) is helpful should you need to apply for insurance claims and disaster aid. Electronic items such as TVs and computers should have serial numbers that should also be listed on record.
• Keep the right documents on hand, which speeds up the claims process and substantiate losses for income tax purposes. This includes important papers such as insurance policies; birth and marriage certificates; wills; deeds; financial information such as account numbers, recent tax returns, stocks, bonds and other negotiable certificates; driver’s licenses and other personal identification.
• Store documents in waterproof sealable bags to take with you in the event of an evacuation. Scan the information on a computer or hard drive/iCloud.