PIOs told: Don’t say ‘tsunami’ when you want to warn of a storm surge

SHOULD authorities use the term “tsunami” instead of “storm surge” to warn residents living in vulnerable areas when the next big storm comes?

No, that would mislead people, warned Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma yesterday.

“Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said it’s dangerous to interchange both terms.”

“In reality, when there is a tsunami warning, what should we do –- run for your life,” Coloma said, since a tsunami, which occurs after an earthquake, can send powerful waves rushing inland within seconds.

However, there’s a “48-hour window” for people to prepare and evacuate when the warning for a storm surge is given.

In yesterday’s opening of the first information summit of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers in Region 7 (RADIO-7), Coloma discussed the role of information officers to “provide the right information at the right time.”

At one point, he cited the Nov. 8, 2013 experience of supertyphoon Yolanda.

He said some officials and victims in Eastern Visayas said they would have taken early weather bureau forecasts of Yolanda more seriously if they were told that a tsunami was coming instead of a storm surge, which was an unfamiliar term.

“We cannot fool the people by saying it’s a tsunami. If we say tsunami when in fact it’s a storm surge, we would be like the boy who cried wolf,” said Coloma. Misusing the terms would set a false expectation that would have people later doubting your real message.