If the effect of your decision is going to evacuate the entire West Coast waterfront , you do n't want to take that lightly , '' he said . Time is always crucial when you work as a tsunami warning scientist . A warning can be issued anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes after a tsunami is detected . At the Pacific warning center , workers live on site for two days to monitor data . After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , warning centers operate around the world .
Time is always crucial when you work as a tsunami warning scientist . A warning can be issued anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes after a tsunami is detected . At the Pacific warning center , workers live on site for two days to monitor data . After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , warning centers operate around the world .