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TSUNAMI! Destructive waves!The tsunami is a sequence of waves that can reach heights of several tens of meters and sweep away everything in its path; it is produced mostly by strong submarine earthquakes occurred near the coastal area

In Mexico, during the last 280 years, 65 tsunamis have hit the Paci�c coast, with waves up to 10 meters in height, therefore, it is important to be informed about the directions of Civil Protection authorities

Center for Scienti�c Research and Higher Education of Ensenada, Baja Californiawww.cicese.edu.mx

National Center for Disasters Preventionwww.gob.mx/cenapred

Tsunami Warning Centerdigaohm.semar.gob.mx/CAT/codes/centroAlertasTsunamis.html

Learn more

Source: National Center for Disaster Prevention

WARNING SIGNS AT THE BEACH

Recommendations

• A strong earth-quake, although not all of them produce a tsunami

• The sea goes away from the beach exposing the seabed

• The water becomes foamy

At any sign, attend

directions of the Civil Protection

authorities

WHAT TO DO IF A TSUNAMI IS COMING?

• Stay away from the beach, rivers, streams, wetlands or coastal lagoons and be sheltered in the highlands

• Do not stop to observe the sea�oor

• If you are on a boat, refrain from reaching a port; at offshore the risk is lower

• Do not use your vehicle to evacuate

• Keep calm

• Avoid bridges over water bodies

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• Investigate the height above the sea level of the place where you live

• Identify evacuation routes towards high places

• Prepare a family evacuation plan and protect children, elder people and animals

• Identify tall buildings and places that will serve you as temporary shelter

Preventive measuresIF YOU LIVE NEAR THE COAST OR IF YOU TRAVEL TO THE BEACH

Due to the hazard of tsunamis in Mexico, the National Tsunami Warning System (SINAT) was created, hosting the Tsunami Warning Center (CAT) in charge of the Mexican Navy, to analyze and process both the seismic and sea level data in real time. The CAT sends bulletins to the Civil Protection authorities in order to alert the population promptly

The earthquake is the alert!

Natural phenomenon which destroys littorals due to wave action caused by a strong earthquake in the seabed. The Japanese word tsunami means "harbor wave". It is also called maremoto, a Latin word for "sea in motion”

Mexico is at the "Circum-Paci�c belt" or "Ring of Fire", geologically active zone that causes 80% of the tsunamis

Stages of a tsunamiWhat is it?FloodingThe waves increase when they reach the coast. Not always the �rst wave is the highest, sometimes it is the third or fourth one, and they devastate everything on its path, reaching up to 10 km inland

Types of seismic tsunamisLocal: They originate along the coast and penetrate large distances inland in a short time

Regional: They originate 1,000 kilometers away from the country and arrive within a time span of three hours

Distant or transoceanic: They originate in the western margin of the Paci�c Ocean and take between eight and ten hours to reach the coasts of Mexico. They can cause great damage if the magnitude of the earthquake is greater than eight

Alerts

GenerationEarthquakes lift vertically the earth crust at the seabed

PropagationTsunami waves travel at high speeds (800 km/h) on the open sea, for example, with 5,000 meters depth. This velocity decreases to 35 km/h when approaching the coast, with 10 meters depth

Location of Circum-Paci�c Belt or Ring of Fire

Trenches 800 km/h 250 km/h 100 km/h 35 km/h

5,000 m 500 m 100 m 10 m

Hazard of tsunamis in Mexico

High*

Medium

Low

Ocean bedDepth

Comparativa de velocidad de las olas con medios de transporte

*Distant tsunami generating-and-receiving area

Tsunami or Maremoto