The California tsunami threat is real. The 7.0 earthquake is a wake-up call to prepare

Fear, anxiety and confusion swept across the West Coast early Thursday when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of northern California and southern Oregon following a magnitude 7 earthquake that struck about 55 miles off Eureka Beach.

Evacuation orders were issued. Sirens went off. Service on Bay Area commuter rail through the underwater Transbay tube has been suspended.

But after about an hour, the warning was cancelled. Although the conditions were suitable, no large tsunami occurred this time.

“It could have moved a lot of water,” said Dave Snyder, tsunami warning coordinator at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. “We're glad it didn't happen.”

Snyder said the conditions could have produced a dangerous tsunami, but there is no way to accurately predict such an event in advance. So his team is erring on the side of caution, especially when a quake hits an area closer to the coast — as the quake did — and can submerge populated areas more quickly.

“We are fully reacting to the earthquake event,” Snyder said. “Time must be respected to ensure people's safety.”

Tsunami warnings are still rare for the West Coast, and actual major tsunamis are even more unusual, Snyder said. But they do happen, which is why it's important for residents to be prepared and know how to respond.

He said Thursday's incident was a good reason to “refresh what it means to live in tsunami country.”

A Brief History of the California Tsunami

Here's what we know about past tsunamis in California, from Times reports and state records:

The last time the West Coast saw a tsunami warning was in January 2022, after an underwater volcanic eruption in a remote corner of the South Pacific triggered a powerful tsunami, Snyder said.

California saw relatively minor impacts, but in Santa Cruz Harbor, waves inundated streets and parking lots, with cars floating like toy boats. Pour water into bathrooms and land electrical transformers. Officials later said it caused an estimated $6 million in damage to Santa Cruz alone.

In 2011, a tsunami caused by the devastating Japan earthquake also struck some coastal areas of California, causing more than $100 million in damage to marinas and harbors, according to estimates by state officials. In Crescent City, residents reported that about thirty boats “wrecked” in the harbor and that the rushing waters significantly damaged or destroyed many docks.

One person died after being swept into the sea while taking pictures of the tsunami.

The Del Norte County city has seen other tsunamis in recent history. In 2006, Crescent City residents were surprised by a surge in seawater hours after the tsunami warning ended, causing extensive damage to the harbour.

Most notably, the 1964 Alaska earthquake triggered a catastrophic tsunami that destroyed Crescent City, sweeping away 29 city buildings and killing at least 11 people. A series of overnight waves hit the coastal city, destroying or damaging 91 homes and 172 businesses.

California officials also have records of tsunamis that struck Northern California in 1960 and 1946, which left at least one person dead. The 1946 tsunami, caused by an 8.6 magnitude earthquake near Alaska, flooded parts of Half Moon Bay.

Among the earliest records of a tsunami in California is an event that occurred in 1812 when a large earthquake occurred in the Santa Barbara area, “followed by a tsunami that wiped out many coastal villages and destroyed ships in the harbor,” according to the US Geological Survey.

There was a huge, catastrophic tsunami in 1700, which was triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake on the Cascadia fault system, which extends offshore from northern California to Vancouver Island for 700 miles.

This earthquake was so strong, entire parts of the Pacific coast fell by as much as 5 feet. In the Pacific Northwest, Native American stories told of “how the prairie became an ocean” and canoes were thrown into trees.

If a similar quake occurred today, scientists say a giant tsunami would wash away coastal cities, destroy U.S. 101 and cause $70 billion in damage over a large swath of the Pacific coast. More than 100 bridges will be lost, power lines will fall, and coastal towns will be cut off. Residents would have just 15 minutes to flee to higher ground, and up to 10,000 people would die, according to a scenario published more than a decade ago.

What areas are most at risk of tsunamis?

The entire California coast is considered at risk of a tsunami, according to a map of the state's tsunami hazard area published by the California Geological Survey.

But much of the coast included in the danger zone covers only the immediate shoreline or beach areas – although it extends inland in some areas.

In Northern California, some of the most populated areas that were under warning Thursday and within the tsunami danger zone include parts of San Francisco's Richmond and Sunset districts along with parts of the Financial District and the Marina District along the Embarcadero and South Market. alive. Auckland International Airport is also included.

Other populated areas most at risk from a tsunami are parts of Crescent City, northern areas of Half Moon Bay, most of Santa Cruz and Capitola, and parts of Monterey.

In Southern California, high-risk spots include areas in or around Ventura, Oxnard, Malibu, Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach. Including the entirety of Balboa Island – and in and around Mission Bay and Coronado.

Can you prepare for a tsunami?

As Snyder noted, these rare systems are difficult to predict, but there are ways to prepare and know what factors can lead to such dangerous events.

Normal warning signs include feeling a strong or prolonged earthquake. If you're at the beach and see a sudden rise or fall in the ocean or hear a loud noise, it's time to head inland.

“If you are on shore or in port and you feel the quake, immediately move inland or go to higher ground. If strong tremors last for 20 seconds or longer, everyone within the tsunami evacuation zone should evacuate,” the California Geological Survey says. “As soon as it is safe to do so.”

Be aware if you live or frequently visit a tsunami evacuation area. (See above for more details about those sites.)

Look for tsunami hazard maps in your area. If maps or signs are not available, state officials suggest arriving at an area 100 feet above sea level or two miles inland. “If you can't get that far, go as high as you can. Every foot in or up can make a difference,” state officials say.

The National Weather Service operates two tsunami warning centers, intended to monitor tsunamis and the earthquakes they may cause, to send tsunami alerts. To get official notifications of a tsunami warning, sign up for text message alerts from your local government, get a battery-operated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio, or listen to automated television, radio, or phone announcements.

Sign up for alerts here:

How should you act after a tsunami warning?

Clear the area on foot and get to higher ground. Do not get into your car and try to drive away from the dangerous area – evacuating by car may lead to a traffic jam.

If you feel an earthquake: Drop to the ground, take cover, and hold on until the shaking stops.

If you evacuate from a coastal area, stay away until officials allow you to return. Do not go towards the coast to watch the tsunami. A tsunami moves faster than a person can run.

Don't let your guard down after the first tsunami wave. The first is usually not the highest. Large tsunami waves may reach more than 50 feet in height in some areas near the coast. Tsunami waves can last for hours.

Don't try to surf or watch the tsunami. You cannot ride a tsunami, because there is no face to a tsunami wave. Regular waves flow in a circle without flooding higher areas. Tsunamis are unpredictable and submerge the land like a wall of water.

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