Marine Debris Program Participates in 10-Year Remembrance of 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
March 22, 2021 — On March 11, the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s (MDP) Pacific Island Regional Coordinator Mark Manuel, participated as a panelist in the 2011 Japan Earthquake and its Tsunami: A 10-Year Remembrance Special Event for Internal NOAA staff in the Pacific Islands Region.
For the 10-year remembrance (March 11, 2011) of this devastating event, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and Pacific Islands Regional Engagement Committee hosted a viewing of a 45-minute documentary about this disaster, ”National Geographic’s Witness: Disaster in Japan.” The film consists entirely of video shot as the disaster unfolded, shown in sequence, and in near real-time, first with the earthquake, then the tsunami, and then the aftermath in the following days. Following the viewing was a panel discussion by individuals who worked to mitigate and understand this tragic event as it unfolded and in its aftermath. Other panelist included:
- Cindi Preller, NOAA/PTWC, on duty at NTWC during this tsunami.
- Nathan Becker, NOAA/PTWC, on duty at PTWC during this tsunami.
- Jessica Bohlander, NOAA/Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, emergency response coordinator for field staff in the NWHI during the tsunami event.
- David Phillips, USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, conducted post-tsunami LIDAR surveys in Japan at locations of tsunami eyewitness video recordings when he was with UNAVCO.
- Moderator: Leon Geschwind, NOAA/Inouye Regional Center.
Mark provided a general overview of the MDP and OR&R role in managing the goodwill gift from the Japan Government, the modeling done with GNOME, and MDMAP shoreline monitoring and debris tracing in collaboration with the Consulate of Japan.
For more information, please contact Mark.Manuel@noaa.gov.