Newest Tsunami Danger Maps Emphasize the Peril That 7 California Counties Face

The California Geological Survey has produced updated tsunami hazard area maps for Ventura, San Diego, Marin, Napa, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma counties for the first time since 2009, to assist citizens in better understanding the hazards of a tsunami and how to best plan for a potential evacuation.

New tsunami hazard maps highlight threat

(Photo : DAFFA RAMYA KANZUDDIN/AFP via Getty Images)

The state geological agency said in a news release that the updated maps for the seven counties included new data and improved computer modeling since an earlier series of maps was published 13 years ago, as well as threats from distant and local tsunamis, as per Union Bulletin.

According to the EPA, thirteen additional counties, including Los Angeles and Orange, have gotten fresh updates in the previous year.

The good news is that no full-scale major alterations on the maps have been observed, according to Rick Wilson, senior engineering geologist and head of the California Geological Survey's tsunami team.

It's simply a chance for individuals to visit our website and see whether their location has changed, and then plan accordingly.

Although tsunamis are uncommon in California, the whole state's coastline is vulnerable to one at any moment, according to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

The most recent tsunami to strike California occurred in January when a volcano explosion in the South Pacific Ocean near Tonga brought two-foot tsunami waves barreling over the Bay Area from over 5,000 miles distant.

Tsunamis, according to the National Weather Service, can move up numerous bodies of water, including rivers and streams that feed to seas, causing greater flooding and traveling further inland than typical waves and causing more havoc.

When tsunamis strike, the most dangerous areas are our beaches, lagoons, bays, estuaries, tidal flats, and river mouths.

Given that 26.3 million Californians live in coastal areas, citizens must know where their tsunami evacuation zones are and how they intend to get there in the case of a tsunami.

Despite the revisions to the new maps, Wilson believes the likelihood of these catastrophes is minimal, and the objective of the new maps is to assist Californians to be better prepared in the unlikely occasion that a tsunami does occur.

Also Read: 'Silent' Tsunamis Come Along With Recent Intense Volcanic Eruptions

Tsunami Preparedness

To protect oneself from the earthquake, drop, cover, and hang on, as per Red Cross.

When the shaking stops, gather your family and go over your escape plan. A tsunami may hit within minutes.

For the most up-to-date emergency information, use the NOAA Weather Radio or listen in to a Coast Guard emergency frequency station, or a local radio or television station.

Local authorities' directions must be followed.

It is possible that the recommended evacuation routes will differ from the ones you planned, or that you will be encouraged to ascend higher.

Evacuate immediately if you hear an official tsunami warning or see indicators of a tsunami.

A tsunami warning is issued when officials believe there is a tsunami threat and there is little time to evacuate.

Bring your emergency supplies. Having things on hand will make you feel more at ease throughout the evacuation.

Take your pets with you if you flee. It is not safe for them if it is not safe for you.

Get as far inland as possible to higher ground. Observing a tsunami from the beach or cliffs might endanger your life. You are too close to the wave if you can see it.

Stay clear from downed power lines and buildings and bridges where big things might collapse during an aftershock.

Stay away until local authorities say it is safe. A tsunami is a sequence of waves that can last for several hours. Do not think that the threat ended after one wave. The following wave might be bigger than the first.

Related article: Climate Change May Trigger the Threat of Frequent Disastrous Tsunamis