The California Department of Conservation has great information on Tsunami risks to coastal marinas.
Research indicates that a large tsunami from the Alaska-Aleutian Islands region could cause one third of the boats in California to be damaged or sunk and two thirds of the docks to be damaged or destroyed. Although the impacts from tsunamis cannot be completely eliminated, they can be significantly reduced by improving tsunami planning and response activities. Over the past several years, the California Geological Survey, the California Office of Emergency Services, and the University of Southern California have been working with harbormasters and port captains to develop guidance for maritime response to future tsunamis. In partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state has started developing tsunami “playbooks” that will help these harbors and ports respond to tsunamis of various sizes coming from sources around the Pacific Ocean. The following references provide further details about the work these partners are doing to help harbors and ports to prepare:
- Maritime Tsunami Response Playbooks: Background Information and Guidance for Response and Hazard Mitigation Use (CGS Special Report 241, 2016)
- Example DRAFT Tsunami Response Playbook for Ventura Harbor
- Tsunami hazard mitigation activities in California maritime communities
The California Office of Emergency Services and California Geological Survey have produced a tsunami preparedness brochure for recreational and commercial boaters. The March 11, 2011 tsunami caused nearly $100M in damage to the California maritime community. The state tsunami program is working with the state’s maritime communities to provide more detailed maps and guidance that will help them improve their tsunami planning. This brochure will help educate individual boaters about how they should prepare BEFORE the next tsunami arrives on our coast.