The Three Things Broadcasters Need to Know About TSUNAMIS

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed over 227,000 people and caused an estimated $10B in damage. In the wake of this catastrophe, there was an unprecedented outpouring of aid ($13.5B) from around the world to help alleviate the suffering. The media coverage of the tsunami, including videos of the tsunami impacting Thailand and India along with survivor interviews, created an insatiable appetite for information about the tsunami phenomenon and preparedness to mitigate its impact. One source of information was the broadcast meteorological community that was caught ill prepared for the unexpected demand for information about the tsunami phenomenon. This presentation was created to educate the broadcast meteorologist on tsunamis by distilling the physical characteristics of tsunami into three safety tips for public consumption.