This is Tsunami Preparedness Week. People who live or work in San Diego’s coastal communities are receiving new brochures with maps and evacuation routes. NBC 7’s Matt Rascon reports.
Local residents who live in areas that would be at risk in the event of a tsunami will receive warning mailers as part of Tsunami Preparedness Week, according to an announcement made by city officials Wednesday.
At an tsunami awareness event held at La Jolla Shores, city emergency preparedness staff and a representative from the California Geological Survey detailed the several areas in San Diego that were at risk should a tsunami hit San Diego.
According to officials, they were able to target specific addresses that were at risk by using new maps developed by state experts.
Although tsunamis might not be the first natural disaster that springs to mind for locals, the danger is real, according to officials.
Experts say a tsunami in San Diego could be caused by a strong local or miles away earthquake or offshore landslide. This would in turn harm beaches, bays, and coastal communities.
“Clearly we have bigger risks with earthquakes, storms, and fires in San Diego County," said CGS expert Rick Wilson, "but if you understand what a tsunami can do and what you should do during a tsunami, it will save your life in the future."
Mailers to residents will include information that details the danger tsunamis pose, evacuation routes, and other information about what to do in the event of a tsunami.
Local
To demonstrate tsunami evacuation routes at La Jolla Shores Wednesday, eighth graders from the Old Town Academy and representatives from the region's coastal cities took part in an evacuation drill, walking to higher ground from La Jolla Shores to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
San Diego lifeguards, firefighters and members of police department's Critical Incident Management Unit were also on hand to go over beach evacuation notification procedures.
Tsunami Preparedness Week began on March 23 and lasts until the 29th.
For more information on tsunami preparedness in San Diego and to view maps, visit this website.
