TsunamiSmart

The Western Australia State Emergency Service (WASES) is the control agency for tsunami in Western Australia, which means that we are responsible for planning for tsunami and for managing response if a tsunami does occur.

A tsunami is a series of waves generated by any of the following:

• Vertical movement of the sea floor after a large earthquake
• Submarine or coastal eruptions
• Meteor impacts
• Submarine or coastal landslides

Even though the overall tsunami risk to Western Australia is lower than many other parts of the world, a tsunami may still impact the West Australian coast. The largest tsunami to affect Western Australia in recent times occurred in May 1960 after a 9.5 magnitude earthquake in Chile.

We’ve put together some important information that can help you learn more about what you can do to prepare for tsunami. You can use the sub-navigation or click on one of the questions below to start preparing now.

• How do tsunami warning systems work?
• How can I prepare for tsunami?
• What should I do if a tsunami happens?
• What is an emergency plan and what should it include?
• What should I put in my emergency kit?

Download the Emergency Toolkit which will help you before, during and after a tsunami emergency.

• Emergency Toolkit.pdf (1.85 MB)

Resources

• Tsunami Information Sheet.pdf (572 KB)
• Tsunami Awareness Brochure.pdf (590 KB)
• Tsunami: The Ultimate Guide. The Australian Tsunami Advisory Group has put together an interactive online guide that covers everything related to tsunami using videos, animations, spectacular images and in-depth information.

TsunamiSmart Teacher resources

For lesson plans and activity ideas about tsunami, visit our Teachers section.