New maps show tsunami risk goes inland in some parts of the Southern California coast

The risk of a tsunami is fairly low along the Southern California coast. But new tsunami warning maps released by the state show that the potential danger does not exist only on the shoreline.

The maps, released by the California Department of Conservation, show the coastal areas that would be hit by waves from the seismic event.

For the most part, areas hugging the coast are affected. But there are a few areas where the risk boundaries move inland.

They includes parts of Venice and Marina del Rey, areas around the Port of Los Angeles, parts of eastern Long Beach around Alamitos Bay, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Upper Newport Bay. The maps show flooding could occur on waterways flowing into the ocean, such as the Santa Ana River.

Earlier this year, officials issued a warning about a potential tsunami after a major temblor in thousands of miles away in the South Pacific. No tsunamis formed.

California's most notable tsunami in modern times occurred in Northern California. In 1964, a huge quake in Alaska caused a tsunami in Crescent City that killed 12 people.

--Shelby Grad

Comments

[MikeOHara]

*getting out hip waders*

[KB]

so, where is the map?

[Jim]

Last year's Tsunami warning only proved how unprepared we are. The local authorities, life guards and harbor patrol, created both panic (for a few) and a complete dismissive attitude for the rest by their trying to close the harbor and beaches at 9:30 when the official warnings were canceled at least 6 hours earlier.

There is an official tsunami warning site, but the Redondo Beach officials proved they don't know about it. http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/?region=2

What probably happened was a decision was made early in the day, and then they were not able to carry out the closures because they didn't actually have a workable plan. They undoubtably thought it was a good time for a drill, but wound up looking like the Keystone Cops.

Yelling fire in a crowded theater is a crime and yelling "wolf" makes people not listen in the future. They did both.

[Michael Y]

Sadly, the maps they are using are so old they still call Abbot Kinney, Washington Blvd.