Months after an earthquake and tsunami devastated the northeast coast of Japan, scientists are hard at work trying to figure out a way to keep tsunamis from causing similar destruction in the future. Through mechanical engineering, safe building and early warning systems, they hope to lessen the effect these massive waves have on coastal populations.
Japanese engineers are testing pylons that are placed on the sea floor as a breakwater along the coast and would pop out of the water when a wave was coming. Their research shows the pylons would reduce the size of the wave by half. And, along the Oregon coast in the U.S., also susceptible to tsunamis, scientists are looking at ways to have people evacuate to high-rise buildings that can withstand waves and quakes.
But, experts caution that none of the new technology will do anyone any good unless people heed warnings to evacuate and unless early warning systems improve. In Japan, one woman had a two-minute warning to evacuate her house and drive to higher ground before the tsunami came. Her house was completely swept away.
Quotes
"If the people don't evacuate, the system doesn't work anyway. So we need to prepare. How can we make the people feel easy to evacuate?" - Akio Okayasu, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
"One thing that our research is looking at is the role of vertical evacuation. So this means going up into a building or onto an earthen mound that is still within the inundation zone, still -- you're still going to be in the flooded zone, but you are much safer just by going up." - Dan Cox, Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory, Oregon State University
Warm Up Questions
1. What is a tsunami? What causes it?
2. What natural disasters could take place where you live? How do you prepare for them
3. What happened in Japan in March of 2011?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think tsunamis are so hard to protect against?
2. Which of the prevention methods discussed in the video seemed like it would work the best to you? Why?
3. What other methods have humans come up with to protect against natural disasters?
Additional Resources
