• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
X
Burdekin Shire Council Logo Burdekin Shire Council Logo
SEARCH
CONTACT

Contact Burdekin Shire council via phone or email.

  • (07) 4783 9800
  • enquiries@burdekin.qld.gov.au
  • Online Contact Form
MENU
  • Home
  • About Council
    • Contact Us
    • Our Organisation
      • Organisational Structure
      • Our Vision, Mission and Values
      • Customer Service Charter
    • Mayor and Councillors
      • Mayor Lyn McLaughlin
      • Deputy Mayor Sue Perry
      • Councillor Kaylee Boccalatte
      • Councillor John Bonanno
      • Councillor Michael Detenon
      • Councillor John Furnell
      • Councillor Max Musumeci
    • Council Meetings
      • Archived Agendas and Minutes
      • Burdekin Road Safety Advisory Committee
      • Burdekin Local Disaster Management Group
    • Local Laws
    • Policies
    • Fees and Charges
    • Documents and Publications
      • Annual Reports
      • Strategic Asset Management Plans
      • Budget Reports
      • Contracts Valued $200,000 or More
      • Corporate Plans
      • Operational Plans
      • Strategies, Plans and Reports
    • Employment with Council
    • Latest News
    • Media Releases
    • Public Notices
    • Right to Information
      • Publication Scheme
      • Disclosure Log
      • Personal Information Holdings
    • Compliments, Complaints and Suggestions
    • Subscribe to our eNewsletter
    • Council Logos
    • Making an Insurance Claim
  • Library, Arts and History
    • Libraries
      • Membership
      • All about us
      • eBooks and eAudiobooks
      • eMovies
      • eLearning
      • Online information
      • Collections
      • Finding new authors
      • Create@108 Space
      • For the little ones
      • For parents and teachers
    • Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF)
    • History
      • Burdekin Bridge
      • Local history collection
      • Images of the Burdekin
      • Library artworks
      • History of the Burdekin Library
    • Arts and Cultural Strategy
  • Business and Investment
    • Doing Business with Council
    • Burdekin Regional Profile
    • Industry Workshops
    • Invest in the Burdekin
    • Business Directory
    • Make the Cane Change
    • Pick Burdekin
  • Cemeteries
    • Burial Register
  • Community
    • Australia Day Awards
      • Australia Day Award Recipient History
      • Current Australia Day Award Recipients
    • Calendar of Events
    • Citizenship Ceremonies
    • Community Consultations and Surveys
    • Community Directory
    • Community Maps
    • Community Message Boards
    • Facilities and Public Spaces
      • Parks and Public Conveniences
      • Boat Ramps and Camping Grounds
      • Aerodromes and Airstips
      • Caravan Parks and Swimming Pools
      • Venues for Hire
    • Grants and Sponsorship
      • Community Grants Program
      • Interest Free Loans for Sporting Bodies
    • Happy Healthy Home
    • Museum of Tropical Queensland
    • Street Stalls and Raffles
  • Emergency Management
    • Key Contacts
    • Are You Ready?
    • Recover After a Disaster
    • Emergency Evacuation
    • Local Disaster Management Plans
    • Storm Tide Evacuation Maps
    • Types of Disaster Events
      • Floods
      • Cyclone
      • Storm Surge
      • Severe Thunderstorm
      • Earthquake
      • Bushfire
      • Tsunami
      • Heatwaves
      • Landslide
  • Health and Environment
    • Licenses and Approvals
      • Personal Appearance Services
      • Footpath Usage
      • Food Business Licence
      • Temporary Food Business Licence
      • Environmentally Relevant Activities
      • Rental Accommodation
      • Caravan and Campground Approvals
    • Public Health
      • Mosquito Management
      • Overgrown Allotments
      • Abandoned Vehicles
      • Rats and Mice
    • Environmental Matters
      • Environmental Nuisance
      • Water Pollution
    • Food Safety
      • Food Safety Supervisor
      • Food Safety Programs
      • Food Safety Training
    • Beach and Dune Protection
    • Land and Pest Management
      • Council's Biosecurity Plan
      • Pest Plants including aquatic
      • Pest Animals
      • Biosecurity Property Plans
      • Biosecurity Obligations
      • Services and Subsidies
    • Environmental Levy
    • Reef Guardian Council
  • Pets and Animals
    • Animal Regulations
    • Animal Registrations
    • Microchipping
    • Desexing
    • Impounded Animals
    • Barking Dogs
    • Dog Breeders
  • Planning, Building and Development
    • Planning and Development
      • IPA Planning Scheme
      • Development Applications
    • Building
      • Applying for a Building Permit
      • Flood Certificates
    • Plumbing
    • Draft Burdekin Shire Council PA Planning Scheme
  • Property Ownership and Rates
    • How to Pay your Rates and Payment Options
    • Electronic Rate Notices
    • Understanding Your Rates
    • Pensioner and Other Concessions
    • Utility, Separate and Special Charges
    • Property and Rating Information Searches
    • Have Your Details Changed?
    • Dividing Fences
    • Pool Safety Compliance
  • Roads and Infrastructure
    • Application to Close a Footpath
    • Permit for Erection of Gates and Grids
    • Driveway or Crossover
    • Lay Pipes
    • Lay Underground Electricity in Council's Road Reserve
  • Waste and Recycling
    • Waste Management Facilities
    • Illegal Dumping
    • Bin Collections
      • When is my bin day?
      • What to put in each bin
      • Waste Collection Services
    • A-Z of Waste and Recycling
    • Agricultural Waste
      • drumMUSTER
      • Fertiliser Bags
      • ChemClear
      • Agricultural Plastics
    • Waste Education
    • Queensland Waste Levy
    • North Queensland's Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan
  • Water Services
    • Wastewater
      • Manholes - Spraying for Cockroaches
      • Sewerage Infrastructure
      • Trade Waste
    • Water
      • Damaged or Broken Water Meters
      • Discoloured Water
      • Drinking Water Quality Management Plan
      • Fire Hydrant - Hire of Metered Standpipe for Swimming Pool Filling
      • How to Read Your Water Meter and Find Water Leaks
      • Installation of Bores
      • Key Performance Indicators - Water and Wastewater
      • New Water Service or Changes to Existing Water Services
      • Water Billing
      • Water - Conservation
      • Water Quality Sampling
      • Water Quality Sampling for Shire Residents
      • Water - Shared Rights and Responsibilities
      • Water Warriors
    • Customer service standards for water and wastewater
    • Water and Sewerage Service Areas
  • Projects
    • Burdekin Water Park
  1. Home
  2. Emergency Management
  3. Types of Disaster Events
  4. Tsunami
  Back

Tsunami

A tsunami is a long ocean wave (or series of waves) or surges, caused by a major disturbance to the sea floor such as an undersea earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. They are different to the storm tide surge which can occur with cyclones and from large waves which can accompany storms.

The phenomenon is usually associated with earthquakes, landslides or volcanic eruptions in, or adjacent to oceans, and results in sudden movement of the water column. Until recently tsunamis were called tidal waves, even though the event has nothing to do with tides.

In deep water, tsunamis can reach speeds of up to 950km/hr and may travel across the sea for hundreds of kilometres hitting distant communities hours after they are generated. They slow down but grow in size as they come ashore. Rather than one huge wave, a tsunami may look like a rapidly rising or falling tide and occur as a series of waves with periods of time in between

Despite the presence of the Great Barrier Reef, the Burdekin region could still be affected by a tsunami. Although the reef may reduce the impact of a tsunami, the scale of impact depends on what caused the tsunami, how far away the event is and where it is in relation to our shire.
There may be only a few hours warning. Even a relatively small tsunami of less than one metre can move with force and cause dangerous rips and currents.

Tsunami warning signs

  • You may notice changes such as the water withdrawing or becoming shallow.
  • A shaking of the ground in coastal regions may reflect the occurrence of a large undersea earthquake nearby that may generate a tsunami.
  • A roaring sound may precede the arrival of a tsunami.
  • A tsunami may not be one large wave approaching the coast. It can occur as a series of seemingly quite low but very powerful waves. The force of the water may be so strong it can carry vehicles, boats, bridges and buildings with it.

DURING a tsunami

  • Tune into your local radio station and heed warnings and advice.
  • Follow local instructions and take immediate action, no matter how small the tsunami may be.
  • If you are at the beach, immediately move inland or to higher ground. Get out of the water and away from the coast.
  • If your boat is in deep water and offshore, maintain your position.
  • If your boat is berthed or in shallow water, secure your vessel and move inland or to higher ground.
  • If you are on the coast and cannot move inland, seek shelter in the upper levels of a stable building.
  • Stay where you are if your location is on high ground.

AFTER a tsunami

  • In an emergency dial 000 or 112 from a mobile.
  • Tune into your local radio station and heed warnings and advice.
  • Stay at your high ground location until advised it is safe to leave. More waves are likely to follow the first and it may take time for this to happen.
  • Beware of damaged power lines, roads, bridges and fallen trees.
  • Heed all warnings and don’t go sightseeing. Instead, check and offer help to neighbours, friends and family.
  • Turn off electricity, gas or water supplies and check whether they have been affected.
  • Wear rubber boots or rubber-soled shoes and rubber or leather gloves.
  • Check for cracks and damage to your building’s floors, walls and ceilings. Evacuate if the building is badly damaged.
  • Treat all items exposed to water as contaminated.
  • Dispose of rubbish, wash mud, dirt and debris as soon as you can.
  • Wash hands thoroughly after handling anything that has been in contact with water.
  • Follow any instructions for treating water. Conserve food and water as supplies may be interrupted.

 

 

Disaster Management Related Links

  • Disaster Dashboard
  • Emergency Action Guide
  • Recover Fact Sheet
  • Respond Fact Sheet
  • LDMG Fact Sheet
  • Prepare Fact Sheet

145 Young St, Ayr QLD 4807

(07) 4783 9800

2023 © Burdekin Shire Council

  • Right to Information
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy