Tsunami concerns-Crescent City, CA (San Francisco, Columbia: to rent, insurance, home)

[Nature'sCathedral]

I'm considering relocating to Crescent City. To those of you who already live there, are you concerned about CC being a tsunami area? It's common knowledge that the northern coast will be hit hard whenever predicted major quakes come. While there's no way of knowing "when" that will happen (and while that didn't stop me from living in San Francisco for a number of years), nevertheless, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

[BennyPhoenix]

There was a tsunami in CC, IIRC it was in 1964.

[TheDragonslayer]

The Japan earthquake in 2011 destroyed their harbor with a tsunami. If the Cascadea subduction zone generated an earthquake in the upper 7's or 8's, they could cause mudslides off the coast that could generate a tsunami with maybe 15 to 20 foot waves, depending on the size of the mudslides. A full rip on the subduction zone could generate an earthquake of 9.0 to 9.4 that could cause waves 30 to 50 feet in far northern California, 60 feet or greater in southern Oregon and could generate a tsunami to possibly 75 feet, given the height and duration of the quake. A 9.4 that lasted to 5 minutes or greater would put us all in trouble from Cape Mendocino to British Columbia and inland to I-5 with all the coastline impacted by the tsunami and I-5 pretty much incapacitated and 101 totally unusable. Even San Francisco would not get away from damage in a Cascadia earthquake, nor Hawaii, Japan or all of the Pacific islands from the tsunami. The earthquake in 1700 was smaller than the one that happened about 750 years ago that generated waves up to 75 feet in parts of Oregon. Tsunami sands can be found up the Rogue River, Klamath River, Mad River and other tributaries from northern California, up Oregon and into Washington, those from 750 years ago were pushed much farther inland from higher waves. Rule of thumb if one lives on the coast is if it shakes so hard and so long that one cannot stay standing is to head inland as soon as possible, depending on how close it is offshore, we have maybe 15 minutes at the soonest to maybe 25 minutes before the first waves hit us. I live ½ mile from the coast at 65 feet, our route out has been engrained in my head for years.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

The Japan earthquake in 2011 destroyed their harbor with a tsunami. If the Cascadea subduction zone generated an earthquake in the upper 7's or 8's, they could cause mudslides off the coast that could generate a tsunami with maybe 15 to 20 foot waves, depending on the size of the mudslides. A full rip on the subduction zone could generate an earthquake of 9.0 to 9.4 that could cause waves 30 to 50 feet in far northern California, 60 feet or greater in southern Oregon and could generate a tsunami to possibly 75 feet, given the height and duration of the quake. A 9.4 that lasted to 5 minutes or greater would put us all in trouble from Cape Mendocino to British Columbia and inland to I-5 with all the coastline impacted by the tsunami and I-5 pretty much incapacitated and 101 totally unusable. Even San Francisco would not get away from damage in a Cascadia earthquake, nor Hawaii, Japan or all of the Pacific islands from the tsunami. The earthquake in 1700 was smaller than the one that happened about 750 years ago that generated waves up to 75 feet in parts of Oregon. Tsunami sands can be found up the Rogue River, Klamath River, Mad River and other tributaries from northern California, up Oregon and into Washington, those from 750 years ago were pushed much farther inland from higher waves. Rule of thumb if one lives on the coast is if it shakes so hard and so long that one cannot stay standing is to head inland as soon as possible, depending on how close it is offshore, we have maybe 15 minutes at the soonest to maybe 25 minutes before the first waves hit us. I live ½ mile from the coast at 65 feet, our route out has been engrained in my head for years.

Just hope a couple of million do not try to take the same route.

[Nature'sCathedral]

Thanks for the specific information, Dragonslayer. Much appreciated!
Getting one's self to safety fast enough seems dicey. It actually sounds like a terrorizing dash.
Beyond that, what about one's dwelling? I'm not asking as a potential homeowner, but rather a renter. My thought is that tsunami water could ruin a home's contents. Am I wrong?
Is there affordable insurance for tsunami's?

[TheDragonslayer]

Originally Posted by Nature'sCathedral

Thanks for the specific information, Dragonslayer. Much appreciated!
Getting one's self to safety fast enough seems dicey. It actually sounds like a terrorizing dash.
Beyond that, what about one's dwelling? I'm not asking as a potential homeowner, but rather a renter. My thought is that tsunami water could ruin a home's contents. Am I wrong?
Is there affordable insurance for tsunami's?

If a tsunami hit your home, your contents, your house, all of it will be destroyed beyond recognition. I think you would need both earthquake and flood insurance, one for your home being knocked down and the other for it being washed away. The tsunami of 64 from the Anchorage earthquake, now rated at a high of 9.2, hit Crescent City in multiple waves, down town was hit hard and some people lost their lives when they went into down town after the first waves. Best is to know your current elevation and how high you need to go and how far to get there. For me the street I am on heads up hill and east and in no time we can be above 100 feet, though I would prefer a bit higher.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

I live in the tsunami zone in Crescent City. You can live here, and not be in the tsunami zone, easily. So, just rent outside the tsunami zone.

As far as insurance, renter's insurance won't insure you for water damage that comes in from outside, unless you pay for a flood rider, which isn't worth the money, in my opinion. However, for your vehicle, you can get comprehensive, which will cover you for flood damage, and it's cheap.

I just have an emergency bag, hoping if a tsunami hits, I could grab it and my laptop.

But, it's easy to find somewhere to rent here that's outside the tsunami zone, which is just part of downtown and right next to the coast.

Here's a map:

http://www.crescentcity.org/docs/adm...scent_City.pdf

Basically, the tsunami zone is 9 blocks from Front Street, right at the park at the ocean, and maybe one block from the ocean otherwise. It's not a huge area.

I just don't worry about it. I also grew up in the SF Bay Area, and grew up with earthquakes. We have tsunami sirens here. They test them the first Tuesdays of each month. Also, they tell you if you feel the earth move, then head for high ground. I figure I'll have plenty of time to get out of the way. But, I don't have kids anymore, and honestly, if it's my time to go, so be it. I just don't worry about it - but I'm also prepared and have an evacuation plan.

It's funny, but my first thought would be to get me and my dog to my truck, so we could get my truck out of here and stay in the truck rather than any shelter.

Anyway, hope that was helpful. If someone is going to be afraid, though, there's nothing anyone can do. Just live outside the tsunami zone, I guess, and never come downtown, if you want to always be safe.

[TheDragonslayer]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I live in the tsunami zone in Crescent City. You can live here, and not be in the tsunami zone, easily. So, just rent outside the tsunami zone.

As far as insurance, renter's insurance won't insure you for water damage that comes in from outside, unless you pay for a flood rider, which isn't worth the money, in my opinion. However, for your vehicle, you can get comprehensive, which will cover you for flood damage, and it's cheap.

I just have an emergency bag, hoping if a tsunami hits, I could grab it and my laptop.

But, it's easy to find somewhere to rent here that's outside the tsunami zone, which is just part of downtown and right next to the coast.

Here's a map:

http://www.crescentcity.org/docs/adm...scent_City.pdf

Basically, the tsunami zone is 9 blocks from Front Street, right at the park at the ocean, and maybe one block from the ocean otherwise. It's not a huge area.

I just don't worry about it. I also grew up in the SF Bay Area, and grew up with earthquakes. We have tsunami sirens here. They test them the first Tuesdays of each month. Also, they tell you if you feel the earth move, then head for high ground. I figure I'll have plenty of time to get out of the way. But, I don't have kids anymore, and honestly, if it's my time to go, so be it. I just don't worry about it - but I'm also prepared and have an evacuation plan.

It's funny, but my first thought would be to get me and my dog to my truck, so we could get my truck out of here and stay in the truck rather than any shelter.

Anywa, hope that was helpful. If someone is going to be afraid, though, there's nothing anyone can do. Just live outside the tsunami zone, I guess, and never come downtown, if you want to always be safe.

I too grew up in the bay area with its earthquakes. My plan is to load the dogs in the truck, chickens in cages in the back with the rabbits in theirs. We have parts of our town that should be designated tsunami zone and are not, I have talked with some of those neighbors to let them know the zone they are in. Most are not aware of the risk to begin with. This coming Tuesday, the 23rd, we are having a tsunami test here in Humboldt county with sirens. I am sure it will be all over our local Facebook page.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

I too grew up in the bay area with its earthquakes. My plan is to load the dogs in the truck, chickens in cages in the back with the rabbits in theirs. We have parts of our town that should be designated tsunami zone and are not, I have talked with some of those neighbors to let them know the zone they are in. Most are not aware of the risk to begin with. This coming Tuesday, the 23rd, we are having a tsunami test here in Humboldt county with sirens. I am sure it will be all over our local Facebook page.

Same here! I'm so glad I heard on the radio there will be a tsunami test on the 23rd. When I hear the sirens on the 1st Tuesday, I quickly do a mental check of what day it is. I'd have freaked out if I didn't know they were testing the sirens on the 23rd.

The joke is, though, that if we had a real tsunami on the first Tuesday of a month in the morning, nobody would head for the hills, thinking it was the monthly test.

[Hawk J]

It's a wise idea to buy a good PFD (personal floatation device).