While Thursday’s magnitude-7.0 earthquake in the waters off Northern California did not lead to disastrous consequences despite a tsunami warning, experts urge people in Southern California, one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the U.S., to be prepared for what’s possible.
As soon as Dave Snider and his team with the National Tsunami Warning Center issued the tsunami warning Thursday, they began monitoring the water, checking specialized buoys and the coastline to see if the tremor would lead to a major tsunami.
“The worst case scenario from something that was moving a tremendous amount of water wouldn’t just affect San Francisco. It would affect all of the U.S., West Coast, Alaska and western Canada,” Snider explained. “Beyond that though, the recovery from something like that would be tremendous and take a lot of time.”
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Experts said strong shaking is a natural warning sign or indicator that a tsunami is possible. And those who live in the tsunami warning zone must evacuate immediately.
“Our duty is to get a message out to affected communities that could be in harm's way in 5 minutes or less,” Snider said.
A tsunami warning means widespread flooding could occur, including dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents, and those conditions may last for several hours or days after initial arrival, according to the National Weather Service.
When an earthquake strikes, people on the beach should immediately get out and stay off of the coastal area because a tsunami could arrive in minutes.
Once a warning is issued, people should also get to higher ground, 1 mile inland or 100 feet up, according to Snider, while waiting for more information.
Those living in tsunami hazard zones should also have emergency communication and evacuation plans and map out routes to safety.
