Tsunamis for Institutions — Phase 2: During

Every institution located in a zone susceptible to tsunami must be ready to act on two types of warnings: natural warnings and official warnings. Both do not need to occur simultaneously.

A strong or prolonged earthquake.

A sudden, abnormal change in sea level, either a considerable withdrawal of the water or a rapid rise.

An unusual, loud roar coming from the sea.

These signs do not all need to appear at the same time.

If the establishment is within a zone susceptible to tsunami flooding and any of these signs is detected, the planned institutional procedure must be applied immediately.

If an earthquake is still occurring, people must protect themselves from the shaking first. As soon as it is possible to move safely, the evacuation must begin.

Do not delay the evacuation to:

• carry out administrative inquiries;
• call for meetings;
• locate the institution’s most senior authority;

• personally check conditions at sea;
• verify information on social media;
• wait for additional internal instructions that are not necessary to carry out the plan.

Once the threat is recognized, the designated lead must activate the Institutional Tsunami Emergency and Evacuation Plan.

If the main lead is absent or incapacitated, their alternate must take over immediately.

No time should be lost trying to locate a specific person when the plan establishes a chain of replacements.

Activation must simultaneously set in motion, when applicable:

The initial communication must be unambiguous. Use short, firm, operational messages. For example:

“TSUNAMI WARNING*. WE MUST EVACUATE NOW. FOLLOW STAFF INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW THE MARKED ROUTE TOWARD THE SAFE ZONE.”

* Use the official highest-alert term for your country. In the U.S. and Puerto Rico: “Tsunami Warning.”

Do not give speeches or lengthy explanations. Do not use ambiguous expressions such as:

If the tsunami threat is linked to an earthquake that is still occurring, an uncontrolled evacuation must not be attempted during intense shaking if moving would expose people to falls, broken glass, objects, or other immediate hazards.

During the seismic movement:

• protect people from objects that could fall;
• keep them away from windows and glass elements when possible;
• avoid unnecessary movement during intense shaking;
• apply the seismic protection procedures planned for the establishment.

As soon as the shaking allows reasonably safe movement: BEGIN THE EVACUATION WITHOUT DELAY.

Each lead must immediately take up the role assigned during the preparedness phase.

Depending on the institutional organization, the following may be involved:

• overall lead;
• alternate;
• sector leads;
• group leads;
• assistance leads;
• communications lead;
• first aid personnel;
• emergency equipment lead;
• head count lead.

Each person must carry out their role without unnecessarily interfering with the others.

Evacuation must begin as soon as conditions allow movement.

Leads must:

• open and keep the planned exits available;
• direct people toward the established routes;
• distribute the flow according to the plan;
• avoid crowding at doors and in hallways;

• keep circulation routes clear;
• prevent people from turning back;
• assist those who need help;
• keep groups organized when possible;
• continue toward the safe zone.

Evacuation should not wait until everyone is perfectly organized before it begins.

Do not delay the evacuation trying to complete a head count before leaving. If the planned records or lists are immediately available and can be taken without delaying the evacuation, take them. If they are not available: LEAVE THEM. Never go back for them.

Groups must follow the official routes and the institutional routes established in advance.

While on the move:

• respect the signage;
• follow the authorities’ instructions;
• use the main route while it remains passable;
• use the planned alternative if the main route is blocked or dangerous;
• avoid unnecessary detours;
• keep going until you are completely out of the zone susceptible to flooding.

Where the local plan and conditions allow, evacuation on foot must be the preferred option.

After an earthquake there may be:

• blocked streets;
• cracks;
• debris;
• damaged bridges;
• fallen poles and trees;
• traffic lights out of service;
• unstable structures;
• stalled vehicles;
• traffic jams.

The mass use of vehicles can block the roads and hinder both pedestrians and emergency response. However, an absolute ban on vehicle evacuation must not be established. Where the official plan provides for vehicles for certain people, groups, or circumstances, apply that procedure.

Once the evacuation has begun: no one should go back for objects.

Do not let people go back for:

During an immediate threat, those in charge must not stay inside the establishment to:

Planned technical actions to reduce risk should only be carried out if they can be done immediately, safely, and without delaying the evacuation.

In places with large concentrations of people, a disorganized evacuation can create additional risks.

Leads must:

• distribute the flow among the planned exits;
• prevent people from stopping at doorways;
• avoid unnecessary crossing between groups;
• keep hallways and stairs clear;
• avoid uncontrolled running;
• prevent pushing;
• keep a continuous movement toward the outside;
• prevent people from stopping immediately after passing through an exit.

After an earthquake or during an emergency evacuation, elevators must not be used as an ordinary means of evacuation, given the possibility of:

• power outages;
• mechanical failures;
• structural damages;
• service interruptions.

In a vertical evacuation due to a tsunami, use the stairs and the procedures planned for the structure.

Where the institution has previously defined groups —classrooms, teams, congregations, workshops, sectors, residences, or other units— try to keep them together during the evacuation whenever doing so does not delay movement.

Each lead must:

When minors are under institutional responsibility, the designated adults must immediately take charge of leading them.

Minors must:

Leads should use short instructions:

“STAY WITH THE GROUP.”

“KEEP WALKING.”

“DO NOT GO BACK.”

“WE ARE GOING TO THE SAFE PLACE.”

The procedures planned during the preparedness phase must be carried out immediately.

Leads must:

When children, adolescents, or other dependent people are under the institution's responsibility, the institutional evacuation and reunification procedure must be applied.

Evacuation must not be stopped while waiting for family members to arrive. Nor should a person be handed over at a location that compromises the continuation of the evacuation, if doing so contradicts the established procedure.

Immediately activate the assistance procedures previously prepared.

Needs may be related to:

Do not assume that every person with a disability needs the same kind of help. When possible, ask: “HOW CAN I HELP YOU?”. Respect the person's own instructions about the safest way to assist them.

1. People with reduced mobility

When a person uses:

• a wheelchair,
• a cane,
• a walker,

• crutches,
• a prosthesis,
• another mobility device,

try to keep them together with their device whenever possible.

Use the planned accessible route. Do not improvise lifting or carrying techniques.

Exceptions: if a person must be physically moved and there is immediate danger, apply the techniques staff have been previously trained for and, when possible, follow the person's own instructions.

2. People with visual impairments

Identify yourself before providing assistance. Do not take hold of or pull the person without warning them.

If they accept help:

• ask how they prefer to be guided;
• describe obstacles;
• warn them about steps;
• indicate changes in level;

• report changes of direction;
• use concrete spatial references;
• keep their cane, service dog, or other essential item with them.

Avoid ambiguous instructions such as “over there” or “watch out.”

3. People with hearing impairments

Do not assume that an audible alarm or loudspeaker message was perceived.

Use:

• visual signals;
• eye contact;
• clear gestures;

• short written messages;
• available communication devices;
• sign language when trained staff are available.

A message can be: “TSUNAMI — EVACUATE NOW — FOLLOW ME.”

The priority is to confirm that the person understood that they must evacuate and where they should go.

4. People with intellectual, cognitive or developmental impairments and neurodivergent people

Alarms, crowds, shouting, damage, and abrupt changes in routine can cause disorientation or overload.

Use:

• short instructions;
• one instruction at a time;
• familiar language;
• pictograms or gestures when useful;

• the company of a familiar person when possible;
• regulating items that are immediately available and do not delay the evacuation.

Avoid shouting or giving several orders at once. Do not use physical restraint as a general procedure.

5. Older adults and other people who need assistance

Others who may also need help:

• older adults;
• people with temporary injuries;
• pregnant women;
• people with respiratory or cardiovascular difficulties;

• disoriented people;
• people who do not understand the language;
• visitors;
• injured people.

The designated leads must provide the planned assistance without unnecessarily interrupting the general evacuation flow.

6. People with special medical needs

If a person depends on:

• medications;
• oxygen;
• electrical equipment;

• communication devices;
• medical supplies;
• other essential items;

try to keep these items with them when they are immediately available and can be carried without compromising the evacuation.

Do not dangerously delay departure looking for equipment or supplies that are not available at that moment.

7. Service animals

Service animals must stay with the person they assist whenever circumstances allow. They must not be treated simply as pets, since they may perform essential functions related to:

• orientation;
• mobility;
• alerting;

• functional support;
• other needs of the person.

Avoid separating the person from their service animal.

When an institution allows or houses animals, apply the planned procedure. If an animal can be evacuated immediately without compromising people's safety, evacuate it.

Do not let a person:

Visitors may not know the:

Staff must give simple, direct instructions.

• Do not assume a visitor will spontaneously follow others.
• Use signage, gestures, and pictograms when necessary.
• The goal is to quickly bring visitors into the organized evacuation flow.

A language barrier must not prevent evacuation.

Use:

Tsunami

Walk

Go up

Safe place

The essential instruction must be understandable:

“TSUNAMI — EVACUATE NOW — FOLLOW THIS ROUTE.”

Do not stop the entire evacuation waiting for it to clear.

Activate the planned alternative route.

• Leads must immediately communicate the change to the affected groups.
• Prevent different groups from trying to go back against the direction of the evacuation flow.
• If no planned route can be used, follow the authorities' instructions and use whichever alternative allows the greatest safety in moving away from the threat zone.

The danger is not limited to the beach.

Waves and currents can travel inland through:

• rivers;
• estuaries;
• canals;
• river mouths;

• bays;
• ports;
• coastal lagoons;
• other channels connected to the sea.

The first option must be to reach a safe zone outside the area susceptible to flooding. If the time available does not allow this, proceed according to one of the following situations:

1 WHEN A STRUCTURE IS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED FOR VERTICAL EVACUATION

Leads must:

• direct people toward the structure;
• use the stairs;
• do not use elevators;
• maintain the flow;
• assist those who need help;
• avoid pushing;

• climb to the levels established as safe;
• keep people away from edges, windows, and unstable elements;
• carry out the head count when possible;
• remain there until official instructions are received.

Do not assume that any tall building is automatically safe against a tsunami. Give priority to structures identified for vertical evacuation. A building that looks solid is not, by itself, a guarantee of safety.

2 WHEN NO STRUCTURE IS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED FOR VERTICAL EVACUATION

If the water is imminent, there is no time to leave the area, and no officially designated structure exists, you must look for the available alternative that offers the greatest height and protection, giving priority to sturdy structures.

This is an extreme survival measure.

It does not mean that any building chosen is capable of withstanding a tsunami.

After a strong earthquake, new shakings may occur.

If an aftershock occurs:

Apply the planned first aid and assistance procedures without losing sight of the main threat.

If an injured person can move:

• help them;
• accompany them;
• continue toward the safe zone.

If they cannot move:

• activate the planned assistance procedure;
• request help;
• use the available means of transport;
• avoid maneuvers staff are not trained for, unless there is an immediate danger that makes moving them essential.

If a person is found to be missing during the evacuation, do not automatically send someone back into the establishment or into the threatened zone. Continue the evacuation.

Once the safe zone is reached:

Once the planned point is reached:

Once evacuated, people must stay out of the threat zone.

Do not let them go back to:

• look for belongings;
• check for damage;
• recover vehicles;

• look for pets;
• take photos of the establishment;
• look for family members;
• help clean up;

• retrieve objects;
• check whether the water has gone down.

The water receding does not mean the emergency has ended.

A tsunami does not necessarily consist of a single wave. It may produce a series of waves and currents. The first wave will not necessarily be the largest, and dangerous conditions can continue for hours.

For that reason:

• do not leave the safe point after the first wave;
• do not interpret the water receding as the end of the threat;

• do not allow people to return;
• keep monitoring official communications.

When it is possible to do so from a safe position, leads must prevent members, visitors, or family members from going back to the establishment.

If a person insists on entering an officially evacuated zone, inform the competent authorities.

Communication is important, but it must never delay departure.

• evacuate;
• remain in charge of the groups;
• receive official information when possible;

• communicate essential incidents;
• inform family members when conditions allow.

DO NOT STAY INSIDE THE THREATENED ZONE:

• making long calls;
• sending administrative communications;
• posting on social media;

• recording videos;
• looking for news;
• verifying rumors.

Telecommunications can:

• become saturated;
• be interrupted;

• lose coverage;
• suffer power outages;
• work erratically.

The lack of a phone notification does not mean there is no danger.

Use the planned alternative means:

• radio;
• public alert systems;

• megaphones;
• internal communications;
• emergency channels;
• other available means.

• other available means.

When conditions allow, the previously authorized person may issue institutional information.

Communication must be:

• Short,
• specific,

• operational,
• consistent with the official information.

For example, you may inform:

• that the institution has evacuated;
• what the planned reunification point is;
• that no one should go to the establishment;

• what instructions family members should follow;
• which channel will be used for further communications.

Do not spread unconfirmed information about:

• casualties;
• missing people;

• damage;
• how the tsunami is developing;
• whether the emergency has ended.

Do not allow people to keep crowding in front of a blocked exit. Immediately redirect them to the planned alternative exit. Communicate the change to the other leads.

Do not try to remove heavy or dangerous obstacles when another route is available and doing so would delay the evacuation.

Immediately activate the planned alternative procedure.

You may use:

• megaphones;
• whistles;
• portable loudspeakers;

• verbal communication;
• previously assigned messengers;
• visual signals;
• other available systems.

Leads moving through sectors to alert people should not stay behind carrying out exhaustive searches when doing so compromises their own evacuation.

If the plan provides for leads to check areas, the check must be quick and compatible with a safe evacuation.

Quickly check:

• restrooms;
• classrooms;
• offices;
• changing rooms;
• normally occupied storage areas;
• halls;
• common areas.

It must not turn into an exhaustive search. It must not be done when the threat is imminent, or when doing so would leave the lead delayed inside the danger zone.

Planning should aim to prevent this situation.

If the water is imminent and it is no longer possible to reach the horizontal safe zone:

• immediately apply the available vertical evacuation procedure;
• look for high places;
• use officially designated structures where they exist;
• keep people away from low levels;
• use the stairs;
• do not use elevators;
• continue climbing toward the area planned as safe.

Do not stay on lower floors trying to finish procedures.

Tsunami currents can be extremely violent and carry vehicles, wood, metal, glass, and other debris.

If a person is caught in the water:

• try to stay afloat;
• if possible, hold on to a sturdy floating object;
• try to keep your head above water;
• protect yourself from impacts;
• do not waste strength trying to fight directly against a strong current;
• try to reach a stable structure or high point if a safe opportunity exists.

Other members of the institution must not deliberately go into tsunami currents to carry out improvised rescues that could create new casualties.

Evacuation must begin with maximum urgency.

When the threat occurs during a religious service, performance, sports competition, meeting, ceremony, cultural event, or other event with mass gathering:

• immediately suspend the event;
• issue the evacuation order;
• open the planned exits;
• activate the leads;
• distribute the flow of people;
• use all the planned evacuation sectors;

• keep messages concise;
• prevent people from gathering to look for acquaintances;
• stop them from going back for belongings;
• direct them toward the safe zones.

The evacuation must not be delayed. The next appointed person in the chain of replacement must take over immediately.

A properly prepared institution must be able to evacuate even if the following are absent:

Losing communications does not rule out the natural signs or an already received evacuation order. Continue to follow the plan.

Do not go back because:

Reunification must be carried out according to the previously prepared procedure.

The institution must avoid improvised releases that cause:

Where appropriate, verify the identity and authorization of the person picking up a minor or dependent. Reunification must never involve returning to a threatened zone.

The institution must not decide the danger has ended because:

During a tsunami threat or impact:

During the emergency, check:

When there is an official evacuation order or a clear natural sign of tsunami:

During a tsunami, the institution must immediately move from preparedness to execution.