Tsunami Issues for the Washington Coast (Seattle, Tacoma: tornadoes, living in, safe)

[professorB]

What about Tsunami danger issues? (I know, that seems a bit paranoid perhaps, but after what happened in Aceh, Indonesia.....)

We plan to move further north, from Central Oregon coast, where the tsunami danger scare has resulted in warning and evac signs. The Long Beach, etc. peninsula is so flat a big wave could zip right across the land there. Do they have areas posted for evac routes here too? Are there any tsunami danger zone maps available?

[PencilMeIn]

Been through two damaging hurricanes...Cat. 2 and 3. Scary... but I love the coast and those wouldn't have ever caused me to move away. However, tsunamis...that's a whole new ballgame.....think I better look inland a little. I guess that whole peninsula area is in danger too? I would also like to know the areas that could be affected.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by professorB

We are also wondering about Tsunami danger issues? (I know, that seems a bit paranoid perhaps, but after what happened in Aceh, Indonesia.....)

We plan to move further north, from Central Oregon coast, where the tsunami danger scare has resulted in warning and evac signs. The Long Beach, etc. peninsula is so flat a big wave could zip right across the land there. Do they have areas posted for evac routes here too? Are there any tsunami danger zone maps available?

Funny you should ask. I was doing some research on it awhile ago for my own curiosity and do have a few sites bookmarked. Here's what sounds like you're looking for directly from the state's department of natural resources:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/hazards/tsunami/evac/longbeach.pdf (broken link)


If you need more information on tsunamis pertaining to WA state, let me know. I can give you a few other sites.

--'rocco

[bmsea]

Any area near the coast can be affected, including Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, etc, depending on the magnitude of the wave. You have to look at (1) distance from the ocean and (2) height above sea level. Water is going to look for the path of least resistance and flow accordingly.

The reality of it is that there are natural disasters everywhere - whether you are in Seattle and have the chance of a big earthquake, middle america with their tornadoes, or the eastern coast with its hurricanes. Nowhere is 100% safe. You just prepare as best you can and know that if something really big happens, its part of a bigger picture.

[bmsea]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Funny you should ask. I was doing some research on it awhile ago for my own curiosity and do have a few sites bookmarked. Here's what sounds like you're looking for directly from the state's department of natural resources:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/hazards/tsunami/evac/longbeach.pdf (broken link)


--'rocco

Likewise, here is the evacuation map for Westport.

[scirocco22]

(two posts merged to form a new thread ...please follow our T.O.S. in not cross posting nor hijacking a thread. Thanks!)

[PNW-type-gal]

There is a posted escape route out of Long Beach, WA, but it's pretty pointless - it's a long, long, peninsula with one road in and out. You'd need an hour warning (which is possible, depending on the source of displacement) if you were out toward the end.

That doesn't stop me from vacationing there, though. Were I a resident, I'd keep an emergency evac pack stashed someplace. Just as, living in the Portland area, I keep some emergency supplies in case of a big earthquake.

Having worked for the Oregon Dept. of Geology and been involved with the tsunami hazard program there, I'm very familiar with the Oregon and Washington coast. In general, the hazard is higher near a shallow bay (Canon Beach), as a wave needs a run-up area, where the water shallows) to get height.

[bmsea]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

That doesn't stop me from vacationing there, though. Were I a resident, I'd keep an emergency evac pack stashed someplace. Just as, living in the Portland area, I keep some emergency supplies in case of a big earthquake.

Having worked for the Oregon Dept. of Geology and been involved with the tsunami hazard program there, I'm very familiar with the Oregon and Washington coast. In general, the hazard is higher near a shallow bay (Canon Beach), as a wave needs a run-up area, where the water shallows) to get height.

I totally agree... the engineer in me believes that the chances of a catastrophic event are small enough to make it worth living out here (in Westport), although its a peninsula that would be difficult to evacuate if needed.

My family keeps a a "ready" emergency pack, as recommended by FEMA (3 days of water, food, first aid, etc) See the fema website: Ready.gov - Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed. for more info. And we have our evacuation spot, which is the highest point within walking distance, and we know that we are not 100% safe no matter what. But at the end of the day, I had a lot more chance getting swiped by a car commuting to work in downtown Seattle than I do of drowning in a Tsunami in Westport.

[victoriana]

We lived between Netarts and Oceanside for six years. We remember when the TSUNAMI EVACUATION ROUTE signs went up. What is funny is that officials said whenever we actually HAD a possible warning, people were running TO the coast to watch - not staying away. Also, behind the scenes, officials were saying that with the one road out of Tillamook to Portland (much of it 2-way), can you imagine the traffic jamup and how SLOW it would go to actually get everyone out in a timely manner? This is the problem with so much population on the coast now. The only safe thing would be to have your car gased and ready, emergency packs ready and at the FIRST warning (not the second), get out of town quick. You can't wait. Remember the CNN and FOX shots of the traffic jams of people trying to leave hurricane coastal areas? The same thing would happen. We would live there again and just not worry about it. I think if you are going to live there you just have to realize it could happen and with the inefficiency of warning systems (as hard as the good people at the meteorology stations try) and of getting so many people to actually "move it" I think that is the attitude you just have to have in order to live on the coast.

[PNW-type-gal]

There is a lot of high ground around Tillamook, fortunately, so the road out to Portland is not quite such a big deal - it's not the only escape. The other thing to keep in mind is that it's possible you'd have a long warning lead time, in the case of a distant source at just the right angle, but it's also possible so that you'd have scant minutes. The lesson being - don't second-guess the siren.