Samani Disaster Prevention Workshop #5: Evacuating via Vehicle During a Tsunami

This workshop was held on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, where 70 participants considered various strategies for evacuating by car during a tsunami warning.

Theme 1: Make a Map

Participants labeled the following on enlarged maps:

The ocean, mountains, and rivers. The location of the workshop and the location of their homes. Drew a line marking the boundary between areas that will experience stronger shaking (seismic intensity lower-6 and upper-6). Drew a line where the tsunami inundation zone ends to confirm where a tsunami would not reach.

Theme 2: Remember Past Experiences

On December 8^th of last year, a tsunami warning was issued for Samani after a strong earthquake. To summarize how everyone evacuated to safety, we marked the epicenter of the earthquake, the evacuation sites people actually went to, and the route they took on the map.

Theme 3: Tsunami Evacuation by Car

We used string to measure the distance and range that people could evacuate on foot.

Next, each group shared their concerns about evacuating by car during summer and winter scenarios - specifically before evacuating, during the evacuation, and after arriving at the evacuation site. Each group also considered potential obstacles and safe evacuation methods. Finally, each group presented their findings and shared opinions with the entire workshop.

In my view, the two and a half months since the tsunami warning on December 8th have been a time for reflection. After hearing about difficulties with car evacuation and other options, it has helped me organize my thoughts and identify key considerations for evacuation.