Do you know tsunami?

Dr. Gerard Fryer will give a presentation on the basics of understanding tsunamis at 6 tonight at the Hanapepe Armory classroom during the free public presentation.

“We now know that an earthquake in the Aleutian Islands could send us in Hawaii a tsunami that would flood significantly farther inland than the current evacuation zone,” said Fryer, senior geophysicist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. “Revised maps are necessary.”

Fryer is considered an expert on tsunamis and earthquakes.

“Has such an extreme tsunami taken place in the past?” Fryer said. “Probably. A sinkhole near Poipu contains a wave deposit most easily explained by a large tsunami originating from the Aleutians.”

Fryer’s presentation will explain how earthquakes trigger tsunamis, how the warning system works, and what people should do when a warning is issued.

“We’ll also discuss tsunamis generated within the Hawaiian Islands,” Fryer said. “The warning time for these is very short.”

The presentation is sponsored by the Hawaii Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program and coordinated by the Hanapepe-Eleele Community Association.