Are you at risk of tsunami flooding in California? Check out these maps

Zubair December 11, 2024

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Are you at risk of tsunami flooding in California? Check out these maps

California's coastal areas are clearly at greater risk of an incoming tsunami. But how far inland does the threat extend?

The answer may surprise you. Tsunami danger zones can be very large depending on the location, and in some cases, they are home to many people.

The greater Venice area and all of Marina del Rey are in the tsunami danger zone. So are extensive parts of Long Beach, including Belmont Shore, Naples Island and the city's convention center.

Key parts of Orange County are also at risk. It includes Newport Beach's Balboa Island and the Balboa Peninsula, as well as the neighboring areas of Sunset Beach and Seal Beach.

Even when tsunami danger zones are relatively small, many Californians may not have the guts to get to higher ground after an earthquake.

The Malibu Village shopping center is separated from the coast by two rows of houses, a golf course and the Pacific Coast Highway, yet it is at risk due to its proximity not only to the ocean but also to the Malibu Lagoon.

And the risk can vary. The tsunami danger zone in Manhattan Beach is limited to the beach and the beach area of the Strand, a walking and biking path that separates the sand from luxury homes. But in Hermosa Beach, the tsunami danger zone also includes expensive homes a block or so east of the route.

Visiting SeaWorld in San Diego? The theme park is outside the danger zone, but other hotels and resorts to the west and north are not. Exploring the San Francisco Ferry Building? There's no need to flee the city – walking a few blocks inland can be all you need to do to get to safety.

And not all tsunamis will inundate the entire hazard area. If there is a tsunami, say, more than four hours away, officials may be able to issue fine-tuned orders that will limit the extent of the evacuation zone. But if a tsunami comes in a short time, the authorities may decide to just evacuate the entire area as a precaution.

Tsunami hazard zones represent a large area of inundation in many extreme but realistic areas, says the California Geological Survey.

If you are going uphill or inland from places, you should be safe from any tsunami. That's why officials say it's important to know if you live, work or play in a dangerous area. Experts recommend knowing how to get out and where you need to go.

But if you don't have prior knowledge that you're in a tsunami danger zone, and no maps or evacuation signs are available, aim for places 100 meters above sea level and two miles inland, if possible, officials said. .

Given the location, density and access, some areas can be particularly challenging to evacuate in the event of a tsunami caused by an earthquake.

“There are places on the West Coast of the US, and here in Alaska, where the complete safe evacuation of a near-shore event… [have] very low success rate,” said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. “That's the No. 1 reason why people understand their danger zone early.”

An example of an area that is difficult to extract would be the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. But in Laguna Beach, early knowledge of the tsunami danger zone shows it is very small, and walking a few blocks can make a difference.

Although rare, a tsunami could arrive just minutes after the earth shakes, depending on where you are. Snider said the tsunami warning from last week — issued after a 7.0 earthquake struck 30 miles off the coast of Humboldt County — is a good reminder that this type of event is a real problem.

“You've just received an important warning — one that may not happen to you again,” Snider said. “But just in case … ask yourself, did I have the warnings when I needed them?”

Those ordered to leave during last week's widespread warning should use the experience to assess whether their evacuation plan worked and if they need to change it, Snider said. Those living in high-risk areas should, absolutely, have a travel bag ready, he added.

Here are maps showing some of the most populated areas in Southern and Central California within the tsunami danger zone, as determined by the California Geological Survey. The yellow part shows the danger zone of the tsunami.