# data[].attributes.body
How does the water quality get affected and what can we do to protect it in the aftermath of the event.

# data[].attributes.body
How would our bodies react to the tsunami

# data[].attributes.body
How can we protect the communities affected and get them needed emergency supplies?

# data[].attributes.body
How can we help clean up the water from possible contaminates.

# data[].attributes.body
How does the bacteria get introduced into the water?

# data[].attributes.body
What happened to the water compared to before the event and after it?

# data[].attributes.body
What do the mechanics do if dirty tsunami water is introduced.

# data[].attributes.body
What happens if someone drinks the water?

# data[].attributes.body
What happened to the aquatic animals and on land animals during and following this event?

# data[].attributes.body
What is the difference in the water in a tsunami versus normal water?

# data[].attributes.body
Where did all the water go?

# data[].attributes.body
Where would the contaminants be introduced?

# data[].attributes.body
Where are the most common places the water is being affected by the tsunamis?

# data[].attributes.body
Where will the affected water go and what other waterways would the contaminants affect?

# data[].attributes.body
What are the steps taken to clean the water?

# data[].attributes.body
In what ways do they clean their water after the tsunami?

# data[].attributes.body
What else are we going to do in the future to prevent tsunamis?

# data[].attributes.body
Could the contaminants that were introduced have negative health effects in the future?

# data[].attributes.body
In the future is it going to take a lot of resources and money to ensure the water is safe?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A tsunami creates a surge of ocean water that can sometimes engulf large geographic areas. As the ocean water comes ashore, drinking water wells can become submerged and potentially contaminated with microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) and chemicals that can adversely affect human health. The sea salts associated with saltwater flooding of coastal drinking water supplies are not an immediate health threat.

Because of the unpleasant taste of saltwater, most people will not ingest (swallow) a large enough amount to cause immediate health problems. However, disease-causing microorganisms spread by the flood do not normally produce a strong taste. If water containing disease-causing microorganisms is ingested, even in small amounts, it may cause immediate, life-threatening health problems such as chronic diarrhea, cholera, and serious infections. Using contaminated water to clean small cuts and open wounds also poses a danger of serious infections.

Additionally, chemical contaminants often found in floodwater can easily contaminate wells. Chemical contaminants can include fuel products from overturned fuel tanks, or pesticides that may have been stored in flooded areas. Ingesting water containing these types of chemical contaminants may result in threats to life and health.

After wells have been properly cleaned out and they begin to refill with water from the aquifer, much of the increase in salinity (saltiness) should subside. Shallow wells may be more affected than deeper wells because of the higher loading of saltwater in the upper layer of soil. Although recovery of shallow wells may be slower than that of deeper wells, the salinity of shallow wells should lessen over time.

After a tsunami, people in affected areas should listen for public announcements on the safety of the water supply. Flooded private wells will need to be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If odor, taste, unusual discoloration, or the results of preliminary water testing lead people to suspect that area wells are contaminated by fuel, pesticides, or other chemicals, a chemical analysis of drinking water is strongly recommended. Questions about testing should be directed to local authorities.

Water for Drinking, Cooking, and Personal Hygiene

Safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene includes bottled, boiled, or treated water. After a tsunami, water sources may be contaminated with saltwater. Your local authorities can make specific recommendations for boiling or treating water in your area.

Learn more about making water safe after a disaster.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
chemical contaminants often found in floodwater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
centers for disease control and prevention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tsunami creates a surge of ocean water that can sometimes engulf large geographic areas. As the ocean water comes ashore, drinking water wells can become submerged and potentially contaminated with microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) and chemicals that can adversely affect human health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tsunamis are massive waves generated by a displacement of water and can have disastrous effects on people. Earthquakes or underwater explosions can trigger these waves, such as those caused by volcanic activity or underwater testing of nuclear devices. Tsunamis can travel at over 500 mph in deep water and can reach 1,700 feet in height at their most extreme.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Tsunamis can have a devastating effect on human lives. They can destroy homes, change landscapes, hurt economies, spread disease and kill people.

Tsunamis can destroy entire buildings and can cause serious property damage. Many individuals who live in an area hit by a tsunami lose everything they own, which leaves them homeless and without resources in the initial aftermath. Some of the tsunami effects include leveling homes down to their foundations and exposing bedrock. The rebuilding process is expensive, time-consuming and psychologically tumultuous for people.

Tsunami dangers are difficult to detect far out at sea, since waves do not begin to gain size until they reach shallower waters. As a result, they strike with very little warning, often resulting in a huge loss of human life. The tsunami that struck northern Japan after an offshore earthquake on March 11, 2011, killed at least 14,340 people, which crushed buildings and left thousands trapped under debris or pulled out to sea.

Daily life for individuals in a nation affected by a tsunami changes because of the damage the disaster causes to the economy. Locations that were previously popular destinations for visitors suffer depression as a result of lost tourism, with people staying away out of fear and during reconstruction. Rebuilding after a tsunami puts a significant financial strain on governments as well, resulting in an economic downturn that can affect entire regions of the world.

After a tsunami, contaminated water and food supplies pose a risk to people's health. Flood waters can carry many sources of contamination such as dirt or oil. In addition, infectious diseases increase after a tsunami. Malaria and cholera may become more common. People may have to stay in shelters or other close quarters that make spreading diseases easier.

Tsunamis can lead to other devastating health consequences. People may have traumatic injuries from the destruction of property and landscapes. Many people may suffer from broken bones or brain injuries. The loss of normal shelters can also leave them exposed to wind and hot or cold temperatures. They may also suffer mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety.

After a tsunami strikes, landscapes that previously constituted picturesque beaches or seaside towns become a wasteland. In addition to the destruction of human construction, tsunamis destroy vegetation such as trees, resulting in landslides and coastlines that slip into the sea as deep root systems that previously held land in place get ripped out. These changes force human inhabitants to rebuild in an entirely different way, redesigning their lifestyles and livelihoods around an altered environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tsunamis are massive waves generated by a displacement of water and can have disastrous effects on people. Earthquakes or underwater explosions can trigger these waves, such as those caused by volcanic activity or underwater testing of nuclear devices. Tsunamis can travel at over 500 mph in deep water and can reach 1,700 feet in height at their most extreme.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Credit... Brian Blanco/Getty Images

Hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and floods strike communities every year, injuring and displacing thousands. A plan and an emergency kit are important, but they only go so far. Ideally, your whole community should be ready, and if you don't think it is, here's how you can help make sure.

Organizing your neighbors with a plan in case the worst happens is no simple feat. It's difficult enough for most of us to plan for our own families, much less a dozen in our building or on our block. So how do you do it?

We spoke to Mitch Stripling, the assistant commissioner of Agency Preparedness and Response for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the co-host of " Dukes of Hazards: The Emergency Management Podcast," about the best ways to get everyone in your area aware and prepared for the types of disasters that are most likely to impact your community.

It may seem like an impossible task, but reaching out to strangers in your community and persuading them that you should help one another in case of an emergency really isn't as difficult as it might seem. After all, it's something we naturally do, Mr. Stripling explained.

"Neighbors don't panic and run (that's a movie myth), they adapt to the situation, take the injured to hospitals and do anything they can to be helpful," he said. "People are hard-wired to come together as a community after disasters. Rebecca Solnit writes about it movingly in her book, 'A Paradise Built in Hell'; helping others is one thing that makes us human."

You probably already know that you should keep supplies and an emergency kit on hand for the most common types of emergencies your community may face, but those kits are designed to be helpful only for the first hours or days - ideally just long enough for you to get help or for help to get to you. Even if you have a sizable stockpile of supplies, you're going to need help from other people sooner rather than later. Mr. Stripling said that most search and rescue after a disaster is done by people in their communities, long before professionals arrive.

Image

Credit... Ángel Franco/The New York Times

However, a lot of the support structures that foster the sense of community that led people to look out for one another have degraded, Mr. Stripling said, and it's up to individuals to bring them back to life. "We have fewer stores and more social media addicts - and that's tough from a preparedness standpoint since disasters are inherently geographical," he said. "In a disaster, more people will survive if your neighborhood is resilient - tightly connected, with lots of knowledge about who lives there and lots of strong institutions. "

Before you go knocking on doors however, make a plan - not about how you'll persuade your neighbors exactly, but what you'll actually ask of them.

Instead of going door-to-door to rally neighbors, you'll find more success if you piggyback on existing institutions to organize people in times of need, Mr. Stripling said.

"Disaster research shows that tight-knit communities with strong, locally driven organizations respond better in disaster situations," he said. "That means that any work you do to build community, from strengthening a P.T.A. to starting a local business that serves as a community hub, will naturally help your neighborhood be better prepared.

"That's a key point to focus on. These civic institutions or schools or churches not only enrich our lives day to day, they help to save our lives when disaster strikes. And many of them are not as strong as they used to be."

In short, don't reinvent the wheel. There's little need to build something you'll then have to persuade people to come to when you could get involved with a local P.T.A., sports team, church, book club or neighborhood watch. Mr. Stripling even suggested getting involved with a local coffee shop, day care, or just a group of friends you get drinks with periodically if you can't find a community group to join.

Your next step is to put disaster prep on the agenda of the group you've connected with. That doesn't mean taking over or dragging out a stodgy set of doom-and-gloom talking points. Try to have fun, Mr. Stripling said. "You can schedule a disaster-focused P.T.A. meeting, or a bar trivia night about disasters. Honestly, people do that!" he said. "Your local coffee shop could host a Godzilla Awareness Party. Your small group can help bring people in using an 'each one reach one' approach around the neighborhood - and most localities have emergency management teams that would be thrilled to speak at an event like that."

Credit... Bryan Oller/Associated Press

Once you have a group of interested people and a venue to get everyone talking, it's time to start thinking about what your community's plan will include. That said, don't get caught up in the specifics. The point is to get people aware of the possible disasters your community will face, and get them ready and willing to help and take care of one another in a crisis.

"The most important thing to understand is that planning for these sorts of things is about the process, not any final document," Mr. Stripling explained. "Because disasters are chaotic, you're probably not going to have a lot of reading time, right? So, it's important to get your group ready to improvise. Building your group into a team that can react to different types of events is more important than being ready to run any one evacuation plan."

He outlined three major components of a good community disaster prep plan:

1. Make sure everyone has more than one way to reach one another. Cellphone numbers are great, but remember that in an emergency, cellular networks will probably be overloaded. If you have a signal but can't place a mobile call, text messages and walkie-talkie apps use far less mobile data and are more likely to get through. In every case, however, old-fashioned landlines are ideal, since they can be used without power.

Mr. Stripling also suggested that getting into amateur or HAM radio is helpful, especially for times when traditional communication networks are down. Finally, don't forget old-fashioned rendezvous points. If you have no communications at all, it's critical to have a spot everyone knows to meet up just to make sure everyone is safe.

2. Learn about the hazards and most likely disasters in your area. Not every region is prone to the same types of disasters. If you live on the coast, make sure you talk about plans for coastal storms and flooding. If you live in the Midwest, make sure you're all on the same page about tornadoes and catastrophic storms. Western state residents may want to talk about mudslides and wildfires. Everyone should probably discuss things like terrorism or other man-made disasters. In every case, people respond better in an emergency if they've talked about possible threats before they occur.

"It's also incredibly important to understand that disasters don't impact people equally - they tend to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities," Mr. Stripling said. "So you need to understand the vulnerabilities in your neighborhood - things like poverty, housing discrimination or unequal transportation access - since these elements often point to where the worst consequences will occur."

3. Understand your neighborhood and how your neighbors can help one another. If everyone is going to rely on one another, think about what is convenient and makes sense for each person. "Maybe one neighbor runs a store and could help stock food supplies for the whole team, and another has a vacation home or relative's house that could serve as a rendezvous point," Mr. Stripling said. "The neighbor who lives within walking distance of the school could be in charge of kid pickup if transportation goes down. Or someone owns an S.U.V. or boat that could help evacuation procedures. Everyone brings something to the table - and the more diversity your team has, the more powerful it will be."

Ideally, everyone in your community will be willing to pitch in with their own unique skills, abilities and perspectives to help everyone stay safe and protected. Additionally, while everyone should pool resources in a way that makes sense, you should all be willing to back one another up, even if it doesn't seem like a particular role is your best fit. If the neighbor responsible for kid pickup is out of town when a blizzard hits, someone else should be ready to step in. Best of all, the closer and more tight knit you are before a disaster, the more you'll be willing to cover the gaps when one happens.

Most of us are taught that in an emergency, first responders like police officers, emergency medical personnel and firefighters will be the first ones to get there and help victims. In reality, bystanders and neighbors are usually first - and in the best position to help save lives - especially after a disaster significant enough that it may take time for those emergency workers to arrive.

Mr. Stripling suggested reading the Federal Emergency Management Agency's " Until Help Arrives" program and sharing it with your community group. Similarly, he pointed to the New York City Health Department's Bystander Training Course as another useful resource even for people who don't live in New York.

Keep in mind that most disasters are much worse for people who are already the most at risk. For example, elderly neighbors, people who live alone, or people with disabilities that make evacuation difficult. Make sure people in your group know who in the area may need a helping hand if disaster strikes, and check in on them or be ready to help them evacuate. Mr. Stripling also noted that this extends beyond storms, earthquakes or catastrophic events. Consider that extreme heat waves or cold snaps claim more lives every year than many other "traditional" disasters, and plan to take care of one another accordingly.
Additional Reading
* The Department of Homeland Security Community Emergency Response Team Program

* The D.H.S. Citizen Corps training program

* The Department of Health and Human Services' Medical Reserve Corps

* The FEMA Community Preparedness Toolkit

* The New York City Health Department's Emergency Threats FAQs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Prepare Your Community for a Disaster (Published 2018)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and floods strike communities every year, injuring and displacing thousands. A plan and an emergency kit are important, but they only go so far. Ideally, your whole community should be ready, and if you don't think it is, here's how you can help make sure.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tsunamis are long, powerful waves that are created by sub-sea earth movements - earthquakes, land and ice slips, meteor strikes. But not all Earth movements create these waves, many give little or no effect.

A tsunami occurs because the water mass of the ocean is displaced and, much like throwing a stone into a pond, waves are generated. The displacement in a tsunami creates a wave which is very long - up to 200 km (125 miles). These waves travel in a very predictable way that is determined by the water depth. Anyone with a calculator can predict its speed (square root of 9.81 times the water depth) so in the deep ocean at 5,000 m this is 221m per second, about 800 km an hour (500 mph) - the speed of a jumbo jet. In spite of this speed and power, out at sea the wave is usually less than one metre high. It would take about 15 minutes to pass a boat and would be barely noticeable.

As the wave hits the shoreline it rapidly slows to about 50 km an hour (30 mph) but the back of the wave is still travelling faster in deeper water and so is catching up with the front - a water traffic jam is taking place. The water has to go somewhere, so it goes up, building a wave of 10, 20, even 30 metres in height (some 30 to 100 feet). This wall of water finally arrives at the coast travelling at 30 to 50 km/hr (30 mph) causing massive destruction.

Why does the water level drop before the tsunami hits? Because it is like a tide, the tide goes out before it comes in. Traditionally we used to call these features 'tide waves' because they behave like a tide. The water particles haven't travelled from the epicentre of the earthquake, they have oscillated back and forth and the tidal flow does just the same. As the tsunami approaches water is drawn back from the beach to effectively help feed the wave. In a tide the wave is so long that this happens slowly, over a few hours. In a short small 'wind wave' we see it happening every few seconds as we dodge waves on the beach. A tsunami is short enough to have a rapid effect, in minutes, but long enough to carry enormous energy. There is nothing physically unusual about tsunamis, they are normal waves, but their features are awesome.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tsunamis are long, powerful waves that are created by sub-sea earth movements - earthquakes, land and ice slips, meteor strikes. But not all Earth movements create these waves, many give little or no effect. A tsunami occurs because the water mass of the ocean is displaced and, much like throwing a stone into a pond, waves are generated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tsunami is a series of extremely long waves caused by a large and sudden displacement of the ocean, usually the result of an earthquake below or near the ocean floor. This force creates waves that radiate outward in all directions away from their source, sometimes crossing entire ocean basins.

# data[].attributes.body
The essential question that is driving this research is

# data[].attributes.body
My research into this is really important because

# data[].attributes.body
Delete this once you start writing it is just a place holder!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ABSTRACT
The earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred on December 26, 2004 was an undersea earthquake originated in the Indian Ocean off the western coast Indonesia and generated tsunamis that were among the worst disasters in modern history. At a magnitude of 9.0, it was the largest earthquake since the 9.2 magnitude earthquake off Alaska in 1964. The earthquake was the result of the sliding of the portion of the Earth's crust known as the India plate under the section called the Burma plate. Tsunamis have been relatively rare in the Indian Ocean. They are most prevalent in the Pacific. The Indian Ocean tsunami caused waves as high as 50 feet (15 meters) in some places, according to news reports. The resulting tsunamis devastated the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and other countries even reaching the east coast of Africa some 2800 miles away of the epicenter.

Tsunami waves poisoned the fresh water supplies and the soil by salt water infiltration and deposition of a salt layer over arable land. It has been reported that in the Maldives, 16 to 17 coral reef atolls that were overcome by sea waves are totally without fresh water and could be rendered inhabitable for decades. Uncountable wells that served communities were invaded by sea, sand and earth; and aquifers were invaded through porous rock. Salted-over soil becomes sterile, and it is difficult and costly to restore for agriculture. It also causes the death of plants and important soil micro-organisms.

The flood waters of the Tsunami contaminated water supply systems and in many cases destroyed. Millions of people lack safe water and are at risk of potentially deadly water borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, malaria and typhoid. With over 150,000 people dead from the Tsunami, waterborne epidemics or out breaks is a major concern (WHO, 2004). After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, contaminated water supplies and infrastructure destruction threatened the lives of many survivors of the disaster. The tsunami impacted water quality by flooding septic tanks and causing their contents to contaminate ground and surface water. Seawater also penetrated into groundwater tables, making the water unfit for human consumption. The tsunami also destroyed rural water supply systems across the region. The impact of the Asian Tsunami related to water environment can be described in three time frames: immediate, medium-term and long-term. Immediate impacts include physical destruction of water and wastewater treatment plants, supply pipes and sewers. Some plants not physically destroyed can be severely affected by power failures and worker unavailability. Immediate impacts include cross contamination of water supplies, salt and silt in supply sources makes water unusable for consumption and possible contaminations from biological (human and animal corpses, dead vegetation etc) sources. Aquifer contamination by salt water is one of the severe long term impacts and also the most difficult to treat. Other long term impacts may include pollution from chemical and oil spills. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimated that the recent Indian Ocean tsunami extensively damaged Indonesia's coastal environment, causing $675 million in losses to natural habitats and important ecosystem functions.

INTRODUCTION
Drinking water is cited as a health priority in most emergencies. Much of the drinking water response to the Indian Ocean tsunami focused on providing a sufficient quantity of water, with perhaps less focus on quality. Following a disaster, there is enormous pressure on political leaders and public health officials to take disease control interventions mainly spread through contaminated water. The tsunami raised unique challenges for those involved in these efforts.

In most respects the profile of a tsunami resembles that of a flood caused by a hurricane or cyclone. Therefore, disaster response guides consider Tsunamis as floods although the hydrological and engineering issues associated with saline water infiltration are vastly different. Innovative solutions were often necessary to deal with the special circumstances
presented by the aftermath of the Tsunami disaster.

After a Tsunami, subsurface pressure wave precedes the surface wave and causes an upward movement of the freshwater lens. Water levels in wells rise. Previously fresh parts of the aquifer turn brackish. When the area is completely flooded and saline water infiltrates through the unsaturated zone especially in areas with permeable soils. Salt water fills wells and enters the aquifer. Other pollutants present on the surface are spread with the water and will also contaminate the groundwater. When the floodwater recedes and saline water remains in pools and puddles, increasing the duration of the infiltration. The saline water mixes with the fresh groundwater and intrudes the freshwater areas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Impact of Tsunami Disaster on the Water Environment | Environmental XPRT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ABSTRACTThe earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred on December 26, 2004 was an undersea earthquake originated in the Indian Ocean off the western coast Indonesia and generated tsunamis that were among the worst disasters in modern history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tsunamis - gargantuan waves that crash ashore after an earthquake - sound too perplexing to be a fairy tale. They are more like a troll or goblin tale, in that they represent doom not to be wished on the worst of enemies. They are devastating. About 95% of the world has never seen one. (In fact, if you see one, who even knows if you'd live to tell about it.) Yet when they do happen - and oh, do they happen - they can bring about not only widespread devastation and water contamination locally, but they can also affect the water half a world away.

Tsunamis bring floods on steroids: turn the dial up to 11 and then multiply it by a hundred. In December 2004, a major tsunami in the Indian Ocean was caused by an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia that registered 9.0 on the Richter scale. The resulting tsunami ravaged the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand, and it even reached Africa's eastern coast. It was "estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geologic Service." It also killed over 230,000 people.

A Story About Tsunamis

Tsunamis are predominantly caused by underwater earthquakes, though landslides and volcanic eruptions have also set them off. The word "tsunami" itself comes from Japanese, in part because they are much more common in Japan. But the entirety of the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire" - which refers to the significant seismic activity all around the Pacific and not the much less scary Johnny Cash song - gets tsunamis, and thus 26 nations are members of the Pacific Tsunami Warning System, which monitors seismic activity and issues warnings to coastal communities. But tsunamis aren't limited to the Pacific. They've also been recorded in the Caribbean and the Northern Atlantic Ocean.

Due to the relative rarity of tsunamis, many locales are largely unprepared for them and tend to treat their disaster response more like a flood, which - to use a cliché - is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. When that much water slams into a shoreline, it doesn't just destroy homes and infrastructures in its path. It also ravages water treatment and clean water for people, which in turn hinders recovery efforts, particularly in the immediate days following the tsunami when clean water is most needed.

The Tale of the Brackish Water and the Contaminated Aquifer

One particular water concern during a tsunami is the resultant mixing of freshwater supplies with saline water. The combo is called "brackish" water, and it causes real risks to humans - namely, it dehydrates those who drink it. In the case of the Indian Ocean tsunami, seawater inundated community wells, and porous rock allowed it to breach freshwater aquifers, making it more difficult to get good drinking water to those affected by the disaster, particularly in a region where most of the affected people were dependent on well water.[3]

Sadly, dehydration isn't the only concern when this much sea water comes ashore. Due to the massive amounts of ocean water, wells can also become contaminated not only with pollution, but also with microorganisms that lead to waterborne illnesses. Then there are the concerns that go along with water invading every crevice of an area and the effect that mixing together of water types can have.

The Unexpected Radiation Monster

Unfortunately, the water concerns post-tsunami don't end with waterborne illness and can also take some rather unexpected twists. If you recall the 2011 tsunami that hit Fukushima, Japan after a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Tokyo, you may also recall the real alarm set off when water caused the electricity at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to fail. The invading seawater disabled the plant's backup generators as well, and thus the plant's cooling capabilities. That electricity loss, in turn, caused a nuclear meltdown and not the metaphoric kind when you've had a hard day and your favorite ice cream is out of stock at the supermarket. This was the literal, Einstein-y kind, the radiation-in-the-water kind.

In fact, six days after the earthquake and tsunami, traces of iodine-131 - which is radioactive, unlike the iodine that's added to table salt - were found in Tokyo's drinking water. It might be easy to think, "Welp, I don't live there, so I'm not worried about it." But! As they say, "no man is an island," and in this case far more than islands were affected - because traces of radiation from Fukushima were found in Richland, Washington, which sits a five-hour drive from the Pacific Coast. What's scarier is they were found within a month of the Fukushima disaster.[6] You know what they say: bad isotopes travel fast. (Okay, yeah, I know no one says that, but it should be a thing.) Granted, the levels of the radiation were incredibly low and far less than the amount of radiation a single person is exposed to over the course of a totally normal day, but what's shocking here is the speed with which the iodine 131 traversed such a distance. Years later, trace amounts of radioactive isotopes were found in the seawater and radioactive chemicals that had leaked from the Fukushima plant were found off the coasts of California and Canada.[7]

Tsunamis Push Debris Into the Water Supply

On top of the radiation fallout, Japan still faced many of the regular water concerns post-tsunami, a main one being the amount of water pollution that's created from everyday items getting washed away. As the seawater receded, five million tons of debris were carried out to the ocean and have since been found all over the Pacific - including an entire derelict ship from Hokkaido, Japan that turned up in the Gulf of Alaska.

Onshore, Japanese water treatment plants and piping systems were destroyed by the tsunami at Fukushima, and the loss of electricity at other plants prevented pumps from getting clean water to survivors. Afterward, Japanese officials estimated that 1.6 million households in 11 Japanese prefectures were without potable water.

Tactics For Tsunami Readiness

While there isn't much (or anything, really) that can stop huge earthquakes that set off tsunamis (I mean, tectonic plates gonna plate), there are things folks living in tsunami zones can do to prepare in the event of one. If you live on a coast, make sure your community has a tsunami disaster plan in place - particularly if you live on the west coast of the United States or North America. If it doesn't have an adequate one, contact your elected representatives to push for a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan that addresses tsunami concerns in particular. Have a water plan for your own family and possibly a filtering system in case local treatment plants are inundated or rendered powerless. A filtering system is also helpful if you use well water and it gets contaminated by floodwaters or from brackish water entering the water table. In the event that a tsunami happens, pay attention to local boil warnings and boil any water before using it unless it's bottled water distributed by relief workers. If you have a filtering system, also use a UV light to disinfect your water from pathogens, and listen to local bulletins for warnings about brackish water. Tsunamis might feel like a faraway small-chance event, but they happen and they're real, unlike the fairy tales we heard growing up.

[1] https://www.environmental-expert.com/articles/impact-of-tsunami-disaster-on-the-water-environment-13898

[2] https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110311-tsunami-facts-japan-earthquake-hawaii/

[3] https://www.environmental-expert.com/articles/impact-of-tsunami-disaster-on-the-water-environment-13898

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/tsunamis/waterquality.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/17/world/asia/japan-earthquake-tsunami-fast-facts/index.html

[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2011/04/05/first-u-s-drinking-water-samples-show-radiation-from-japan-boise-richland-wa/#94432c92badd

https://www.livescience.com/39110-japan-2011-earthquake-tsunami-facts.html

https://www.livescience.com/39110-japan-2011-earthquake-tsunami-facts.html

http://www.circleofblue.org/2011/world/after-earthquake-millions-in-japan-without-water%E2%80%94extent-of-damage-to-water-infrastructure-unknown/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tsunami Aftermath: Brackish Water, Radiation, and Debris

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tsunamis - gargantuan waves that crash ashore after an earthquake - sound too perplexing to be a fairy tale. They are more like a troll or goblin tale, in that they represent doom not to be wished on the worst of enemies. They are devastating. About 95% of the world has never seen one.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why Talk About Tsunamis?
Plan for a Tsunami
How to Protect Your Property
Media and Community Education Ideas
What to Do if You Feel a Strong Coastal Earthquake
What to Do When a Tsunami WATCH Is Issued
What to Do When a Tsunami WARNING Is Issued
What to Do After a Tsunami

All tsunamis are potentially dangerous, even though they may not damage every coastline they strike. Damaging tsunamis are very rare. Our coastlines are vulnerable, but tsunamis are infrequent. Understand the hazard and learn how to protect yourself, but don't let the threat of tsunamis ruin your enjoyment of the beach.

Be familiar with the tsunami warning signs. A strong earthquake lasting 20 seconds or more near the coast may generate a tsunami. A noticeable rapid rise or fall in coastal waters is also a sign that a tsunami is approaching.

Tsunamis most frequently come onshore as a rapidly rising turbulent surge of water choked with debris. They are not V-shaped or rolling waves, and are not "surfable."

Tsunamis may be locally generated or from a distant source.

In 1957, a distant-source tsunami generated by an earthquake in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska struck Hawaii, 2,100 miles away. Hawaii experienced $5 million in damages from that tsunami.

Develop a Family Disaster Plan. Tsunami-specific planning should include the following:

Learn about tsunami risk in your community. Contact your local emergency management office or Red Cross chapter. Find out if your home, school, workplace or other frequently visited locations are in tsunami hazard areas. Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the coast or other high-risk waters. Evacuation orders may be based on these numbers.

If you are visiting an area at risk from tsunamis, check with the hotel, motel, or campground operators for tsunami evacuation information and how you would be warned. It is important to know designated escape routes before a warning is issued.

If you are at risk from tsunamis, do the following:

Please see the section "Disaster Supplies Kit" for general supplies kit information. Tsunami-specific supplies should include the following:

Evacuation Supplies Kit in an easy-to-carry contanier (backpack) near your door

Disaster Suplies Kit basics

If your community is at risk, build and publicize locations of tsunami evacuation routes. Post signs directing people to higher ground away from the coast.

Review land use in tsunami hazard areas so no critical facilities, such as hospitals and police stations; or high occupancy buildings, such as auditoriums or schools; or petroleum-storage tank farms are located where there is a tsunami hazard. Tsunami damage can be minimized through land use planning, preparation, and evacuation.

Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on tsunamis. Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross chapter, and hospitals.

Periodically inform your community of local public warning systems.

Work with local emergency services and Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do if an evacuation is ordered, and develop plans to assist them with evacuation if necessary.

Interview local officials and insurance companies about the proper types of insurance to cover a flood-related loss. Include information on the economic effects of disaster.

Listen to a radio, Coast Guard emergency frequency station, or other reliable source for updated emergency information. Authorities will issue a warning only if they believe there is a real threat from tsunami.

Follow instructions issued by local authorities. Recommended evacuation routes may be different from the one you use, or you may be advised to climb higher.

If you are in a tsunami risk area, do the following:

If you hear an official tsunami warning or detect signs of a tsunami, evacuate at once. A tsunami warning is issued when authorities are certain that a tsunami threat exists, and there may be little time to get out.

Take your Disaster Supplies Kit. Having supplies will make you more comfortable during the evacuation.

Get to higher ground as far inland as possible. Officials cannot reliably predict either the height or local effects of tsunamis. Watching a tsunami from the beach or cliffs could put you in grave danger. If you can see the wave, you are too close to escape it.

Return home only after local officials tell you it is safe. A tsunami is a series of waves that may continue for hours. Do not assume that after one wave the danger is over. The next wave may be larger than the first one.

Produced by the National Disaster Education Coalition: American Red Cross, FEMA, IAEM, IBHS, NFPA, NWS, USDA/CSREES, and USGS. This information is in the public domain and is intended to be used and shared without copyright restrictions.From: Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages. Produced by the National Disaster Education Coalition, Washington, D.C., 1999.

Related Links:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tsunami Early Warning System - Prepare for a tsunami

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Talk About Tsunamis? Plan for a Tsunami How to Protect Your Property Media and Community Education Ideas What to Do if You Feel a Strong Coastal Earthquake What to Do When a Tsunami WATCH Is Issued What to Do When a Tsunami WARNING Is Issued What to Do After a Tsunami All tsunamis are potentially dangerous, even though they may not damage every coastline they strike.

# data[].attributes.body
T- It is trustworthy because it is a government website and all the data has been verified before publishing.
R- It was last updated in 2018 meaning it is recent as the data is the same as what everyone is saying.
U- Its word composition is just right of course there are some hard words but something that is grade 6 reading level.
S- A strength is it's a government recourse and has been updated recently. It also explains what happens when a tsunami happens and what happens after it.
T- It is recent it is relevant to all the topics it talks about and covers everything we still do today so it is timely.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tsunami is a series of extremely long waves caused by a large and sudden displacement of the ocean, usually the result of an earthquake below or near the ocean floor. This force creates waves that radiate outward in all directions away from their source, sometimes crossing entire ocean basins.

# data[].attributes.body
T - it is trustworthy because it is a government website and the reason behind publishing the resource is to keep people safe from tsunamis. people who are in tsunami prone areas will profit from this
R - this source is somewhat relevant because it focuses on my topic and other topics at the same time
U - this source is easy to understand because it doesn´t have words that my age wouldn´t understand
S - this source has many advantages but the only disadvantage to it is the search bar is not very defined.
T - yes, since it is a government website it is always being updated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A tsunami creates a surge of ocean water that can sometimes engulf large geographic areas. As the ocean water comes ashore, drinking water wells can become submerged and potentially contaminated with microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) and chemicals that can adversely affect human health. The sea salts associated with saltwater flooding of coastal drinking water supplies are not an immediate health threat.

Because of the unpleasant taste of saltwater, most people will not ingest (swallow) a large enough amount to cause immediate health problems. However, disease-causing microorganisms spread by the flood do not normally produce a strong taste. If water containing disease-causing microorganisms is ingested, even in small amounts, it may cause immediate, life-threatening health problems such as chronic diarrhea, cholera, and serious infections. Using contaminated water to clean small cuts and open wounds also poses a danger of serious infections.

Additionally, chemical contaminants often found in floodwater can easily contaminate wells. Chemical contaminants can include fuel products from overturned fuel tanks, or pesticides that may have been stored in flooded areas. Ingesting water containing these types of chemical contaminants may result in threats to life and health.

After wells have been properly cleaned out and they begin to refill with water from the aquifer, much of the increase in salinity (saltiness) should subside. Shallow wells may be more affected than deeper wells because of the higher loading of saltwater in the upper layer of soil. Although recovery of shallow wells may be slower than that of deeper wells, the salinity of shallow wells should lessen over time.

After a tsunami, people in affected areas should listen for public announcements on the safety of the water supply. Flooded private wells will need to be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If odor, taste, unusual discoloration, or the results of preliminary water testing lead people to suspect that area wells are contaminated by fuel, pesticides, or other chemicals, a chemical analysis of drinking water is strongly recommended. Questions about testing should be directed to local authorities.

Water for Drinking, Cooking, and Personal Hygiene

Safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene includes bottled, boiled, or treated water. After a tsunami, water sources may be contaminated with saltwater. Your local authorities can make specific recommendations for boiling or treating water in your area.

Learn more about making water safe after a disaster.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
chemical contaminants often found in floodwater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
centers for disease control and prevention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tsunami creates a surge of ocean water that can sometimes engulf large geographic areas. As the ocean water comes ashore, drinking water wells can become submerged and potentially contaminated with microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) and chemicals that can adversely affect human health.

# data[].attributes.body
Your choice of resources is excellent. All credible, long-standing accurate sources of information.