In the Agora: Tsunami and California

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December 29, 2004

Tsunami and California

I googled those two words to see if the media was relating the South Asia disaster to the California coastline. The San Francisco Chronicle has its report. Here's some practical advice for beachcombers:

Whatever triggers a future tsunami, Californians need to remember at least one thing, says Richard Eisner, coastal administrative chief for the state Office of Emergency Services:

"If you are on the beach and feel an earthquake that lasts more than 15 to 20 seconds, and you have difficulty standing, you should immediately evacuate to high ground. Don't wait for notification (of a tsunami) because you might have only 10 to 15 minutes (before the tsunami strikes)."

How high should you run? "I don't want to be a smart-ass," Eisner replied, "but you go as high as you can and as far as you can. We don't know how high these waves can be." Research suggests they might exceed 40 feet, he added, but "we won't know" until then.

Posted by PunchTheBag at December 29, 2004 01:58 PM

Comments

There was a tsunami in the Santa Barbara Channel in 1812, apparently from an earthquake under the Channel. The historical records are fairly sketchy - some report it as having swept two miles inland. Others suggest it was much smaller.

http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1812SantaBarbara.html

Posted by: Dan Ryan at December 29, 2004 02:58 PM | permalink