Introduction:
Tsunamis rank high on the scale of natural disasters despite not being recurrent. Tsunami is a Japanese word represented by two characters: tsu, meaning 'harbour ', and nami, meaning 'wave '. It is a set of ocean waves that are created by abrupt undersea disturbances, such as undersea landslide, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The effects of a tsunami can range from unnoticeable to devastating. When a small tsunami comes to the shoreline, it is often seen as a strong and fast-moving tide. A huge tsunami can cause extreme destruction when it strikes land. Tsunami waves destroy boats, buildings and other infrastructure which come in their way. The worst effect of a tsunami is loss of human life. Most deaths occur from drowning. Buildings collapsing, electrocution and floating debris are another cause of death. Victims of tsunami events often suffer psychological problems. In tsunami hit areas, disease can spread following contamination of drinking water, scarcity of food and medical supplies and the irregular operation of medical services. Tsunami also has negative impact on the
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This is mainly because preparedness and mitigation activities are viewed as diverting resources from development activities. In the absence of any major disasters in the coming years, there is the danger that attention to prevention and mitigation will wane. Over time, plans will gather dust, skills will degrade, and preparedness will fade, creating the conditions for the next disaster to have a more significant impact than it ought to have. Kofi Annan rightly said “While the costs of prevention have to be paid in the present, its benefits lie in the distant future. Moreover, the benefits are not tangible; they are the disasters that did not happen."It is therefore vital to maintain a culture of preparedness and mitigation in