April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaii

Debris pushed by the power of tsunami surges became wedged in park gates and pushed over the perimeter fence at the Kanaha Wildlife Sanctuary following the March 2011 tsunami, generated by an earthquake in Japan. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

April is Tsunami Awareness month in the state of Hawaii.

The National Weather Service and the Hawaii State Civil Defense agency have partnered to raise public awareness to the dangers of tsunamis and commemorate the 159 lives lost to the April 1, 1946 tsunami.

A series of events are planned throughout the month including an educational booth at the Molokai Earth Day Celebration taking place on April 20 on the Friendly Isle.

Emergency preparedness planners on Maui note that there is no such thing as a tsunami season, so they are asking the public to update emergency preparedness plans and go-kits in case of the need to evacuate.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also encourages residents to develop and discuss tsunami safety plans with your family and friends so everyone will be prepared when a tsunami strikes.

The month-long observance kicked-off over the weekend with a Tsunami Awareness Day at the Bishop Museum.

A Tsunami Safety Booklet was also published as a special insert in the April 1, 2012 edition of the Honolulu Star Advertiser.  It will also be distributed at public and private schools and community events throughout the state this month.