Tinian certified by NWS as TsunamiReady, StormReady

The National Weather Service has recognized Tinian as the third western North Pacific location to become TsunamiReady and StormReady. Tinian joins Guam, Saipan and 60 other TsunamiReady communities in 10 states and 1,413 StormReady communities in 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the CNMI.

“On behalf of the island of Tinian, the Emergency Management Office and our partners in the emergency management and response community, we are very pleased to receive the TsunamiReady and StormReady recognition,” said Tinian Mayor Jose San Nicolas. “It acknowledges our experience in dealing with disasters, particularly typhoons, our commitment to public safety, and the value we place on education and preparedness.”

Jeff LaDouce, director of the National Weather Service Pacific Region, said that San Nicolas worked hard to earn the TsunamiReady and StormReady designations, making it the third location in the western North Pacific to achieve this status.

“Through the StormReady program, Tinian will be better prepared to help protect the lives and property of its residents and visitors during severe weather events. The island should take great pride in having gone the extra mile go provide its residents and visitors with the added measure of protection that the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs afford,” LaDouce said.

Today, Tinian officials will be presented with a recognition letter and special TsunamiReady and StormReady signs in an 11am ceremony at the Tinian Dynasty Hotel. These special designations must be renewed every three years.

To be recognized as TsunamiReady and StormReady, a community must:

-Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center;

-Create a system that monitors local weather and ocean conditions;

-Develop multiple ways to receive tsunami and severe weather warnings, and alert the public in a timely manner;

-Develop a formal hazard plan and conduct emergency exercises; and

-Promote public readiness through community education.

Tinian’s history of typhoons and earthquakes and its geographical isolation have spurred a commitment and determination on the part of CNMI government agencies to do everything possible to prepare for, protect from, and mitigate against the threat of disasters for Tinian residents and visitors alike. They have a great track record.

Over the years, Tinian has experienced considerable typhoon activity—over 150 in the last 40 years. Dozens of high-wind and storm surge events from typhoon have caused millions of dollars of damage. The Mariana Islands also have a history of tsunamis. Three have caused damage at more than one location—in 1849, 1892 and in 1993—and up to six other locally generated tsunamis have been observed in the islands in the past 200 years. Of particular concern are the volcanoes to the north and the Marianas Trench to the east, one of the world’s deepest trenches with a history of strong seismic events. A small section of the Trench near Tinian has a shallow subduction plate, the type that can produce earthquake that trigger tsunamis. The magnitude 8.1 Aug. 8, 1993, earthquake occurred not far from there.

“While no community can be tsunami proof, the TsunamiReady program provides Tinian the means to minimize the threat to the public,” said Charles ‘Chip’ Guard, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Guam. “Some 10 years ago, residents of Tinian were having a quiet picnic in San Jose, when the water began to rise. In about 15 minutes, the water reached waist-level before it began to subside. Fortunately, that wave was not a catastrophic, violent one.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration understands and predicts change in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. [B][I](NOAA)[/I][/B] [B]ON THE WEB[/B] NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov
NOAA’s National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov
Guam Forecast Office: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/guam/
Tsunamis in the Marianas: http://library.lanl.gov/tsunami/ts203.pdf
TsunamiReady program: http://www.tsunamiready.noaa.gov
StromReady program: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov