Could saving lives during tsunamis mean climbing into fortified spheres for shelter? A Washington company is trying to make that happen.

Survival Capsulesa国际传媒檚 hard-shelled orbs hope to give people a shelter-in-place option during tsunamis when fleeing to safety isnsa国际传媒檛 possible.

Eddie Bernard, a researcher with Survival Capsule, said the Cascadia subduction zone poses a significant tsunami hazard for Vancouver Island and the western United States. He pointed to the fast-moving waves being especially deadly when for those who get caught.

sa国际传媒淥nce yousa国际传媒檙e engulfed in a tsunami, your chances of survival are very small,sa国际传媒� said Bernard, who teaches tsunami awareness through the University of Hawaiisa国际传媒檚 National Disaster Preparedness Training Centre.

Those who cansa国际传媒檛 make it to the safety during tsunami events face risks like drowning, being crushed by floating objects or being exposed to toxins being carried in the water, Bernard said. The water-tight, aircraft-grade aluminum and insulated design of Survival Capsulesa国际传媒檚 spheresa国际传媒檚 could help save lives, he said.

Julian Sharpe, Survival Capsulesa国际传媒檚 president, said that their concept for a personalized safety system was inspired by the threat of tsunamis, but parties have also reached out to them about hurricane protection. The company currently has capsule designs that range from two to 16 seaters. While the protective pods are made on the west coast, separate production will begin in Japan sa国际传媒� where 18,000 died from a 2011 tsunami sa国际传媒� next year to serve that country and the surrounding market.

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During a World Oceans Day panel, Bernard pointed to how the United Nations Ocean Decade campaign aims for 100 per cent of communities at risk of tsunamis to be prepared for and resilient to them by 2030.

Over 700 million people currently live in low-lying coastal areas and Small Island Developing States that are exposed to extreme sea events, the UN says. By 2030, itsa国际传媒檚 expected half of the worldsa国际传媒檚 population will live in coastal areas exposed to flooding, storms and tsunamis.

Efforts on North Americasa国际传媒檚 west coast have been made in the last two decades to prepare for potential tsunami events, with Bernard using Tofinosa国际传媒檚 tsunami evacuation maps as an example. Those jurisdictions should use that experience and be leaders in helping to prepare other coastal locations that will increasingly become at risk this decade, the researcher said.

sa国际传媒淧robably the biggest problem with a natural disaster is that many communities never recover, theysa国际传媒檙e gone.sa国际传媒�

When it comes to fostering resilient and sustainable communities, he said you first need to keep people alive.

sa国际传媒淗ow many lives can we save and keep those communities from becoming impoverished or disappearing after a natural disaster.sa国际传媒�