Tsunamis are among the rarest natural phenomena on Earth

Dear Editor,

Tsunamis are among the rarest natural phenomena on Earth, yet they represent one of our deadliest environmental threats. Over the past century, just 58 of these oceanic giants have claimed more than 260,000 lives—an average of 4,600 fatalities per event. This unprecedented lethality far outpaces any other natural hazard. Because decades can pass between major events, public memory fades, and coastal communities lower their guard.

Observed annually on November 5, World Tsunami Awareness Day serves as a critical global reminder that while we cannot prevent underwater disturbances, we can prevent them from becoming human tragedies. Coordinated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the day aims to embed a permanent culture of preparedness into the fabric of coastal societies worldwide.

The word “tsunami” originates from the Japanese words tsu (harbor) and nami (wave). Unlike typical, wind-driven ocean waves that merely ripple the water’s surface, a tsunami is a series of massive waves generated by a sudden, large-scale displacement of the entire ocean column.

This underwater upheaval is most commonly triggered by subduction zone earthquakes where tectonic plates collide. However, volcanic eruptions, underwater landslides, and even asteroid impacts can launch these destructive forces.

In the deep ocean, tsunami waves travel at jet-liner speeds—up to 500 miles per hour—with wave heights often measuring only a few feet, passing ships unnoticed. But as they approach shallow coastal waters, they undergo a dangerous transformation. The waves slow down and compress, growing into towering “walls of water” that can inundate low-lying land for hours.

Tsunamis arrive in cycles spaced anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes apart, with subsequent waves often proving far more destructive as they carry the heavy, churning debris of everything destroyed before them.

Port Royal, Jamaica 1692

While major historical focus is often directed toward the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Caribbean holds its own grim reminders of tsunami vulnerability. One of the most stark examples occurred on June 7, 1692, in the bustling port city of Port Royal, Jamaica.  The initial disaster claimed approximately 2,000 lives instantly, with an additional 3,000 people dying in the subsequent weeks due to injuries and rapid spread of disease.

Resilience Starts with You

The current global campaign focuses on decentralized, grassroots empowerment under the mandate: “Be Tsunami Ready: Resilience Starts with You.” This theme signals a paradigm shift from relying strictly on top-down government infrastructure to fostering individual accountability and localized action.  Furthermore, the theme emphasizes the collective duty to protect society’s most vulnerable groups. Evacuation plans must be actively rehearsed through community drills that account for children, older adults, individuals with permanent or temporary disabilities, and tourists who are entirely unfamiliar with local geography and language.

A Growing Threat in a Changing Climate

The urgency behind World Tsunami Awareness Day escalates every year. Global coastal populations continue to swell as urban centers expand along the water’s edge, placing millions more lives directly in harm’s way. Compounding this risk is the reality of rising sea levels driven by climate change, which allows tsunami waves to travel further inland and inflict greater economic and structural devastation than in the past.

Tsunamis are an inevitable reality of a geologically active planet. However, mass casualties do not have to be. By understanding the natural warning signs, mapping out local evacuation routes, and committing to community preparedness, we honour the lessons of past disasters and ensure that when the ocean rises, humanity is ready.

Ultimately, a tsunami gives no grace period, and nature does not negotiate. When the ocean pulls back or the earth violently shakes, the luxury of time disappears, leaving only the split-second decisions forged by prior planning. We cannot construct a wall high enough to withstand every wave, nor can we predict exactly when the next fault line will rupture. But we can build a wall of human readiness.  

True resilience is not a policy written in a government building; it is a live saving skill practiced in our own backyards, schools, and communities. The choice is ours: we can remain a coastal population waiting on a threat, or we can become a global community defined by our readiness. When the sea inevitably calls, let it find us standing firmly on high ground. 

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. 

Yours truly

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com

@WayneCamo