Surviving a tsunami is only the beginning of a difficult struggle. Recovering from a tsunami takes a great deal of time and requires hard work and effort. Tsunami survivors must deal with loss of property and life, grief, and maintaining health and hygiene in a disaster zone. The situation may seem dire, but preparing for the aftermath of a natural disaster before it occurs can significantly improve your chances of health and survival.
Hopefully, you and your family were able to escape the worst of the tsunami by heading inland or to higher ground. Although it may be tempting to rush home as soon as you believe the waters have receded, it is a very good idea to wait for an official all clear signal before returning to the scene of the worst damage. Tsunamis come in waves, with the initial, largest wave being the precursor to several smaller waves. You were lucky and skilled enough to escape the worst, why risk returning too soon only to be caught in the subsequent waves?
In the aftermath of a tsunami, it is best not to rely on word of mouth. Rumors and gossip will be rampant in the hours and days following a natural disaster. While some of these reports may prove reliable, it is still advisable to wait for official word before trusting something you are told by another survivor. If you were able to evacuate with a portable, battery operated radio, this will be your best source of information. Trust official pronouncements from government agencies that will assert when it is safe to return to the disaster zone and should also be able to provide information about where local relief agencies are stationed.
Again, it is probably best not to rush home. Water supplies may have become contaminated or may not be functioning at all. It is unlikely that your home has electrical power or that any food there will be safe to consume. If you were not able to grab some drinking water and emergency rations in a survival kit prior to being evacuated then it is imperative that you find a reliable source of food and water immediately. Even if you do have some emergency rations, they are unlikely to be able to sustain you and your family for anything more than a day or two.
If at all possible, head farther inland, locating a city or town that was not damaged in the tsunami. This community will likely be overrun with survivors, but they will also likely have aid stations set up that can offer food, water, shelter, and medical care. It may be difficult to decide what kind of assistance you and your family require first. If you have gone for several hours or even a day or two without regular food and water, then this should be your first concern. If, however, one of you has sustained some kind of injury, it may be best to seek medical help first. Whatever is chosen as the first priority, keep your group together as much as possible. Once separated you may not be able to locate each other again, resulting in time spent searching for your family that would be better spent searching for food, shelter, or water.
In the days and weeks following a tsunami, hygiene will be of paramount importance. Tsunamis can cost people their lives even weeks after they occur. This is usually due to a lack of sanitation in a tsunami damaged area. Whenever possible, try to follow good hygiene practices. Acquire a supply of soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and other essentials and use them. One of the worst components of after tsunami survival is finding ways to resist the spread of illness and disease. Keeping out of the affected area until the all clear signal has sounded definitely helps, but being crammed into a shelter with dozens of other survivors can be dangerous. Keep your hands away from your face and wash them frequently. Whenever possible, use established facilities for disposing of human waste and be mindful of cleaning up afterward. The worst is over, but survivors must fight to maintain their health in order to ensure a complete recovery.