Earthquakes and tsunamis are natural disasters that can strike without warning, leaving devastation in their wake. With recent data showing that Japan alone experienced dozens of earthquakes with intensity 5 or higher in 2024, and tsunamis continuing to pose serious threats to coastal communities worldwide, being prepared and knowing how to protect yourself and your loved ones is more crucial than ever. In this updated blog post, we will explore essential tips and guidelines to help you stay safe during both earthquakes and tsunamis, including the latest technology solutions for family safety and communication.
Create an Emergency Plan
Developing a comprehensive emergency plan remains crucial for earthquake and tsunami preparedness. Discuss evacuation routes, designated meeting points, and important contact information with your family or household members. For coastal areas, your plan must include both earthquake shelter procedures and tsunami evacuation routes to higher ground.
For Earthquake Response:
- Identify safe spots in each room (under sturdy tables, away from windows)
- Practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” regularly
- Know how to shut off utilities if needed
For Tsunami Evacuation:
- Map multiple evacuation routes to higher ground (at least 100 feet above sea level or 2 miles inland)
- Identify official tsunami evacuation zones using hazard maps from local emergency management
- Practice evacuation drills regularly, testing routes during different times and weather conditions
- Establish primary and backup evacuation meeting points outside the tsunami risk zone
- Time your evacuation routes to understand how long each path takes
- Plan evacuation strategies for different family members (elderly, disabled, children)
Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities during both scenarios and practice regular drills to reinforce the plan.
Enhanced Family Coordination with GPS Technology: Modern GPS location-sharing apps with safety features like iSharing have revolutionized family emergency planning for both earthquakes and tsunamis. Set up designated meeting points and evacuation locations as “Places” in the app, allowing family members to:
- Automatically receive notifications when someone arrives at or leaves a safe location
- View real-time locations of all family members during an emergency
- Access movement history to track evacuation routes and progress to higher ground
- Send one-tap SOS alerts with voice messages and precise location data during evacuation
- Use tsunami evacuation zone mapping to determine if locations are in hazard areas
- Coordinate family evacuation timing and routes in real-time
This technology is especially critical for tsunamis, where families may need to evacuate quickly to different high-ground locations, and tracking each other’s evacuation progress becomes vital for peace of mind and coordination with emergency responders.
Secure Your Space
Take the necessary steps to secure your living or working space to prevent injury and minimize damage. Identify potential hazards such as heavy furniture, appliances, or hanging objects that could topple or fall during an earthquake. Secure them to the wall or floor using straps, anchors, or brackets. Additionally, ensure that flammable materials, chemicals, or sharp objects are stored safely and away from potential sources of ignition.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
Having an emergency kit readily available is crucial in the aftermath of an earthquake when essential services may be disrupted. Your kit should include:
- Water (1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
- Non-perishable food for at least 3 days
- First-aid kit and necessary medications
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Blankets and warm clothing
- Multipurpose tool and whistle
- Portable phone chargers and power banks
- Cash in small bills
- Important documents in waterproof containers
Digital Preparedness: Ensure your smartphone has emergency apps installed and configured before disaster strikes. For comprehensive protection, install both earthquake early warning systems and tsunami evacuation apps that provide real-time evacuation zone mapping and route guidance. Pre-register family members in location-sharing apps and test all emergency features regularly. Consider having backup devices (tablets, secondary phones) set up with the same emergency apps for redundancy, especially important in coastal areas where infrastructure damage may be more severe.
Identify Safe Zones
During an earthquake, identifying safe zones within your living or working space is essential. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture such as a table or desk, and protect your head and neck with your arms. Stay away from windows, glass, mirrors, and heavy objects that could shatter or fall. If you are outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and utility wires.
Remember the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” technique:
- Drop to your hands and knees immediately
- Cover your head and neck under a sturdy desk or table
- Hold On to your shelter and be prepared to move with it
Stay Informed and Connected
Staying updated with the latest information regarding earthquake risks, tsunami warnings, and evacuation procedures in your area is more important than ever. Install mobile applications or sign up for text message alerts provided by local authorities or reputable organizations.
Multi-Hazard Alert Systems: Modern emergency apps now provide comprehensive alerts for both earthquakes and tsunamis. Key features to look for include:
- Real-time earthquake early warnings with countdown timers
- Tsunami alerts with wave arrival times and immediate evacuation instructions
- Location-specific threat assessments and evacuation recommendations
- Interactive evacuation route maps and real-time traffic updates
- Critical alerts that override silent mode settings for urgent evacuation orders
Advanced Communication Solutions: When traditional communication fails during disasters, GPS location-sharing apps provide alternative ways to stay connected:
- Real-time location tracking shows family members’ exact positions and evacuation progress to safety zones
- Automatic arrival/departure notifications for designated safe zones and evacuation staging areas
- Movement history helps track successful evacuation routes and confirms escape from danger zones
- Voice-enabled SOS alerts can be sent during evacuation when hands-free communication is needed
- Specialized tsunami evacuation apps can map your exact location relative to flood zones and guide optimal evacuation paths
These features are particularly valuable during tsunami evacuations, where rapid movement to higher ground is essential and families may be separated during the emergency evacuation process.
During the Earthquake: Stay Calm and Take Action
During an earthquake, maintaining a calm demeanor is vital. Panic can lead to poor decision-making and hinder your ability to protect yourself and others. If you witness someone in distress, provide assistance if it is safe to do so.
Immediate Actions:
- If indoors: Drop, cover, and hold on. Stay where you are until shaking stops
- If outdoors: Move away from buildings, trees, and power lines
- If driving: Pull over safely, avoid overpasses and bridges
- If trapped: Cover your mouth, tap on pipes or walls, use a whistle
Technology-Assisted Emergency Response: Modern emergency apps allow you to send distress signals with just one tap, automatically including your precise location and even voice messages. This can be crucial when you’re unable to make traditional phone calls or when emergency services need to locate you quickly.
Special Considerations for Tsunami Safety
While earthquakes and tsunamis are related phenomena, tsunami response requires distinctly different actions and considerations. Understanding these differences can be life-saving, especially for coastal communities and visitors to seaside areas.
Understanding Tsunami Risk and Response Time: Tsunamis generated by nearby earthquakes can reach coastal areas within minutes, making immediate evacuation critical. Unlike earthquakes where you shelter in place, tsunamis require rapid movement away from the coast to higher ground or inland locations. The key rule is: if you feel a strong earthquake near the coast, don’t wait for official warnings—evacuate immediately.
Tsunami Evacuation Strategies:
- Immediate evacuation action: Move to higher ground (at least 100 feet above sea level) or at least 2 miles inland
- Multiple evacuation route planning: Identify several evacuation paths in case primary routes are blocked or congested
- Vertical evacuation options: In urban coastal areas, know the locations of tsunami-resistant buildings designated as emergency evacuation sites
- Evacuation timing: Don’t wait for official evacuation orders if you feel a strong earthquake near the coast
- Natural evacuation warning signs: Watch for ocean recession (water pulling back abnormally far), which often precedes tsunami waves and signals immediate evacuation is needed
Technology for Tsunami Evacuation: GPS location-sharing technology is especially valuable during tsunami evacuations because:
- Real-time evacuation tracking: Family members can monitor each other’s progress to safety zones
- Evacuation zone identification: Specialized apps can instantly show whether your location is in a tsunami hazard zone
- Route optimization: Movement history helps identify successful evacuation paths for future reference
- Emergency coordination: First responders can locate people who may be trapped or need assistance
Critical Timing Factors: Unlike earthquakes where the immediate danger passes quickly, tsunami threats can persist for hours. Multiple waves may arrive, with later waves potentially being larger than the first. GPS tracking helps families coordinate extended evacuations and avoid returning to dangerous areas too early.
Coastal-Specific Emergency Kits: For those in tsunami-prone areas, emergency kits should be easily portable and include:
- Waterproof containers for important documents and electronics
- Emergency flotation devices if available
- Extra batteries for GPS devices and phones
- Waterproof emergency radio
- High-energy, non-perishable food that can be carried during evacuation
Post-Tsunami Safety: After a tsunami, GPS location sharing helps families reunite and assists emergency responders in accounting for missing persons. The movement history feature can show where family members were located before, during, and after the event, providing crucial information for search and rescue operations.
After the Event: Recovery and Continued Safety
After the initial earthquake shaking stops or tsunami waves recede, check for injuries and administer first aid if necessary. Be aware that aftershocks may continue for hours or days following the main earthquake, and additional tsunami waves may arrive hours after the first impact.
Post-Event Communication:
- Use location-sharing apps to confirm family members’ safety and current locations
- Check movement histories to understand evacuation paths taken and ensure everyone reached safety
- Coordinate meeting at predetermined safe locations away from damaged areas and tsunami zones
- Share your status and location with emergency contacts and local authorities if requested
- For tsunami events, do not return to coastal areas until authorities confirm it’s safe—additional waves may arrive
Important Recovery Steps:
- Check for gas leaks, electrical damage, and structural damage to your home
- Only return to buildings when authorities confirm they are safe
- Be prepared for aftershocks and additional tsunami waves
- Stay informed through official channels about ongoing hazards
- Document damage for insurance purposes
- For coastal areas, be aware that tsunami debris and contaminated water may pose additional health risks
Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Safety
The integration of GPS location-sharing technology has transformed disaster preparedness and response. With over 8 million downloads and 4.8+ star ratings on app stores, these tools have proven invaluable for families worldwide.
Key Features for Earthquake Preparedness:
- Real-time location sharing ensures families can locate each other instantly
- Automatic place notifications confirm safe arrivals at schools, workplaces, or evacuation centers
- Movement history tracking helps understand evacuation routes and last-known locations
- One-tap SOS with voice messages provides emergency communication when other methods fail
- Multi-device support allows tracking across phones, tablets, and other devices
- Web access enables location checking from any internet-connected device
Conclusion
While it remains impossible to predict exactly when or where earthquakes will occur or tsunamis will strike, taking proactive measures to ensure your safety is paramount. By creating comprehensive emergency plans that address both scenarios, securing your space, preparing portable emergency kits, identifying safe zones and evacuation routes, staying informed through multiple alert systems, and leveraging modern communication technology, you are taking significant steps to protect yourself and your loved ones during seismic emergencies.
The combination of traditional preparedness measures with modern GPS location-sharing technology creates a comprehensive safety net that works for both earthquake shelter scenarios and tsunami evacuation situations. Understanding the different response strategies required for each type of event—sheltering in place for earthquakes versus immediate evacuation for tsunamis—can mean the difference between life and death.
For coastal communities and visitors to seaside areas, the integration of specialized tsunami warning apps with family location-sharing technology provides an unprecedented level of safety coordination. These tools enable families to track evacuation progress, confirm arrivals at safe zones, and maintain communication even when traditional networks fail.
Stay safe, stay informed, stay connected, and stay resilient.
For more information about GPS location-sharing for emergency preparedness, consider exploring apps like iSharing that offer comprehensive family safety features specifically designed for earthquake and tsunami scenarios. Remember: in coastal areas, if you feel a strong earthquake, don’t wait for official warnings—evacuate to higher ground immediately.