Survival Essay

Six Word Slant: Tsunamis are coming, learn to swim.

Claim: When people think of tsunamis, some think of destruction and terror. Others think of the loss of family and homes. How can anyone survive?

When people think of tsunamis, some think of destruction and terror. Others think of the loss of family and homes. How can anyone survive?

Being able to predict when tsunamis are going to happen could save lives. According to the science of plate tectonics scientist can discover earthquakes which could help tsunami prone areas.  In Indonesia, in 2004, an earthquake caused by two plates rubbing under the Indian Ocean caused massive tremors to send waves into unsuspecting homes and victims. This process was called subduction.  The website tsunamispecialenvoy.org believes that, “The 2004 tsunami was felt by fourteen countries in the region surrounding the Indian Ocean.”  Scientists reason, escape from tsunamis are possible if victims pay attention.  The best thing people can do is run if they were to feel an earthquake and make sure that get as far away from water and buildings as they can.  They must get to high ground.  Before they take off running however they should have a disaster package ready to go with them if the water is already on its way.  In order to be prepared victims have to pay attention and be ready for whatever and whenever.

            If a tsunami does happen victims need to be able to escape the massive amounts of flooding that will happen.  Common sense confirms, the first thing victims need to try and do is get above the water.  They should try and swim to high ground.  If victims can keep their head above the water level then they have a good shot of staying alive.  When the waves do come there is no doubt going to be destruction.  When that does happen and victims get caught in the wreckage try and find something that floats and grab on.  According to Hiromitsu Shinkawa, a Japanese Tsunami Victim, “I survived by going back to my home and climbing up on my roof and floating in the open sea until rescuers spotted me.”  When water comes rolling in, victims should probably leave immediately.  If someone was to just stand there as 40 feet high swells come in they do not really stand a chance.  When victims leave they should stay with their family and stick together.  In the novel Call of the Wild, Jack London believes that, Buck is the greatest when he “Stays in the pack.”  When the tsunami hits victims should do everything they can to stay above the water.  They should also stick together with their families so they have a better chance of surviving together.

            When a tsunami does hit and there are some victims who escaped from a watery grave, they must reconstruct what was lost.  Victims admit, construction of lost building is key to survival.  When a tsunami comes, anything and everything in the way of this monster becomes, basically a food source.  According to the article, Six Months On: Japans Tsunami Survivor Story, Damien Grammaticas believes, “In 2011 the worst place hit was Rikuzentakata.”  So much stuff was lost.  They are still rebuilding that town today.  Rikuzentakata will never be the same.  In the towns victims have to rebuild not only homes, but businesses that were lost as well.  BBC News claims, “As you rebuild lost buildings victims should also try to repair society back to order.”  Towns have to come back to a common sense of power.  Somebody has to take charge.  Without a government in the system there would be nothing getting done.  There would be massive anarchy across the whole devastation area.  If a tsunami was to take out a central governmental power there would be mass hysteria and confusion.  Somebody would have to clear all of the paperwork and turn the people into helpful people who will actually work instead of trying to steal while others suffer severe losses.  When a tsunami hits and leaves there still has to be a continuation of what was there previously.  There will be survivors; they just have to be able to focus on the important task of reconstruction.

            Tsunamis kill.  They are devastating sources of destruction and chaos. They have no mercy, no brain, and no way of being stopped.  Even though no one can stop these behemoths, people can survive the torture of being swept away.  If people pay attention, stay afloat, and put things back in order then these overgrown wave pools can just find something else to pick on.

Works Cited:

"The 2004 Tsunami." Tsunami Predicctions, Tsunami Warnings. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/2004-tsunami.html>.

Grammaticas, Damian. "Six Months On: Japan Tsunami Survivor's Story." BBC News. BBC, 09 Dec. 2011. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14853511>.

McCurry, Justin. "Japan Tsunami Survivor Hiromitsu Shinkawa Found 10 Miles out at Sea." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 13 Mar. 2011. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/13/japan-tsunami-survivor-shinkawa-rescued-fukushima>.