Fear, anxiety, and confusion swept across the West Coast early Thursday when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of Northern California and Southern Oregon following a magnitude 7 earthquake that hit about 55 miles off the shore of Eureka.<\/p>\n
Here is what we know about past tsunamis in California, from Times reporting and state records:<\/p>\n
The last time the U.S. West Coast saw a tsunami advisory was in January 2022, Snider said, after the eruption of an underwater volcano in a remote corner of the South Pacific touched off a powerful tsunami.<\/p>\n
California experienced relatively minor effects, but at Santa Cruz Harbor, waves flooded streets and a parking lot, where cars floated about like toy boats. Water poured into bathrooms and electrical transformers onshore. It caused an estimated $6 million in damage to Santa Cruz alone, officials later said.<\/p>\n
In 2011, a tsunami from the devastating Japan earthquake also battered some coastal areas of California, resulting in more than $100 million in damage at marinas and harbors, state officials estimate. In Crescent City, residents reported that about three dozen boats were \u201ccrushed\u201d in the harbor and that surging waters significantly damaged or destroyed many docks.<\/p>\n
One person died after being swept into the sea, reportedly while taking pictures of the tsunami.<\/p>\n
As Snider indicated, these rare systems are hard to predict, but there are ways to prepare and know what factors can spur such dangerous events.<\/p>\n
The natural warning signs include feeling a strong or long earthquake. If you\u2019re by the beach and see a sudden rise or fall of the ocean or hear a loud roar, it\u2019s time to head inland.<\/p>\n
Evacuate the area by foot and get to higher ground. Don\u2019t get in your car and try to drive away from the hazardous area \u2014 evacuating by car could create a traffic jam.<\/p>\n
If you feel the earthquake: Drop to the floor, take cover, and hold on until the shaking stops.<\/p>\n
If you evacuated from a coastal area, stay away until officials permit you to return. Do not go toward the coast to watch a tsunami. Tsunamis move faster than a person can run.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t let your guard down after the first tsunami wave. The first one usually is not the highest one. Large tsunami waves might be more than 50 feet high in some areas close to the coast. Tsunami waves can last for hours.<\/p>\n
Do not attempt to surf or watch a tsunami. You cannot surf a tsunami, as there is no face to a tsunami wave. Regular waves flow in a circle without flooding higher areas. Tsunami waves are unpredictable and flood the land like a wall of water.<\/p>\n
Tsunamis are rare but can be deadly. It is essential to be aware of the warning signs and know how to respond in case of a tsunami warning. By understanding the history of tsunamis in California and preparing for the unexpected, we can minimize the impact of these devastating events.<\/p>\n
Q: What are the warning signs of a tsunami?<\/strong> Q: How should I respond after a tsunami warning?<\/strong> Q: Can I surf a tsunami?<\/strong> Q: How can I prepare for a tsunami?<\/strong> A Rare Tsunami Warning Issued for Northern California and Southern Oregon Fear, anxiety, and confusion swept across the West Coast early Thursday when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of Northern California and Southern Oregon following a magnitude 7 earthquake that hit about 55 miles off the shore of Eureka. A Brief History […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2950","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/55390e5\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2400x1260+0+51\/resize\/1200x630!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F40%2Fb3%2F00c6b59f457fb326e0357037cba4%2Fla-photos-handouts-thaler-tsunami-10.JPG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2950"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2950"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2952,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2950\/revisions\/2952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nA: The natural warning signs include feeling a strong or long earthquake. If you\u2019re by the beach and see a sudden rise or fall of the ocean or hear a loud roar, it\u2019s time to head inland.<\/p>\n
\nA: Evacuate the area by foot and get to higher ground. Do not get in your car and try to drive away from the hazardous area \u2014 evacuating by car could create a traffic jam.<\/p>\n
\nA: No, you cannot surf a tsunami. Tsunami waves are unpredictable and flood the land like a wall of water. Regular waves flow in a circle without flooding higher areas.<\/p>\n
\nA: Be aware of the warning signs, know the evacuation routes, and have a plan in place. Sign up for text message alerts from your local government, get a battery-powered NOAA weather radio, or listen for TV, radio, or automated telephone announcements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"