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A tsunami is a series of sea waves usually caused by a displacement of the ocean floor by an undersea earthquake. As tsunamis enter shallow water near land, they increase in height and can cause great loss of life and property damage.

Recent research suggests that tsunamis have struck the Oregon coast on a regular basis. They can occur any time, day or night. Typical wave heights from tsunamis occurring in the Pacific over the last 80 years have been 20–45 feet at the shoreline. A few waves however have been much higher—as much as 100 feet or more—because of local conditions.

We distinguish between a tsunami caused by an undersea earthquake near the Oregon coast (LOCAL TSUNAMI) and an undersea earthquake far away from the coast (DISTANT TSUNAMI).

A LOCAL TSUNAMI could come onshore within 15 to 20 minutes after the earthquake—before there is time for official warning from a national warning system. Ground-shaking from the earthquake may be the only warning you have. Evacuate quickly!

A distant tsunami will take four hours or more to come onshore. You will feel no earthquake, and the tsunami will generally be smaller than that from a local earthquake. There will typically be time for an official warning and evacuation to safety.

Some communities will signal the need for evacuation for a distant tsunami by a sounding a STEADY 3-MINUTE SIREN BLAST.

All coastal communities will receive announcements over NOAA weather radio that the local area has been put into an official TSUNAMI WARNING.

In isolated areas along beaches and bays you may not hear a warning. Here, a sudden change of sea level should prompt you to move immediately inland to high ground.

If you hear the 3-minute blast or see sudden sea level changes, evacuate away from shoreline areas, then turn on your local broadcast media or NOAA weather radio for further information.

FOR BOTH DISTANT AND LOCAL TSUNAMIS:
1. Evacuate on foot if at all possible because of potential traffic jams.

2. Stay away from potentially hazardous areas until you receive an ALL CLEAR from local officials. Dangerous waves can persist for several hours, and local officials must inspect all flooded or earthquake-damaged structures before anyone can go back into them.

3. If you need help evacuating, tie something WHITE (sheet or towel) to the front door knob. Make it large enough to be visible from the street. If the emergency is a distant tsunami, then help may arrive. In the event of a local earthquake and tsunami, it is unlikely that anyone will help you, so make a plan and be prepared!

4. After evacuation, check with the local area commander if you can help with special skills or need assistance with locating lost family.

Be prepared! Assemble emergency kits with a
three-day supply for each member of your family.

October 17, 2003 -Tsunami preparedness guide for coastal lodging facilities released (news release PDF) | zipped file of Open-File Report O-03-04 publication files (97 MB)

Open File Report O-03-05 - Development in Oregon’s Tsunami Inundation Zone: Information Guide for Developers and Local Government by Dennis Olmstead, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 2003, $10.

Open-File Report O-03-06 - Tsunami Sign Placement Guidelines by Mark Darienzo, Oregon Emergency Management, 2003, $10.

OregonTsunami.org We cannot prevent a tsunami but we can prepare for one.

• Warrenton
• Gearhart
• Seaside
• Cannon Beach and Arch Cape
• Nehalem River Valley new: 04/17/2012
• Rockaway Beach new: 03/30/2012
• Barview new: 02/22/2012
• Garibaldi new: 02/22/2012
• Bay City new: 02/22/2012
• Tillamook new: 02/22/2012
• Cape Meares new: 02/22/2012
• Oceanside new: 02/22/2012
• Netarts new: 02/22/2012
• Nestucca
• Sand Lake new: 12/12/2012
• Tierra Del Mar new: 12/12/2012
• Pacific City new: 12/12/2012
• Neskowin new: 12/12/2012
• Lincoln City
• Salishan/Gleneden/Lincoln Beach
• Depoe Bay
• Newport North new: 12/12/2012
• Newport South new: 12/12/2012
• Waldport
• Yachats
• Florence
• Gardiner
• Reedsport
• Winchester Bay/Salmon Harbor
• Coos Bay revised: 05/11/2012; errata note to 02/11/2012 map
• Bandon
• Port Orford new: 07/02/2012
• Nesika Beach and Ophir new: 06/28/2012
• Gold Beach new: 06/28/2012
• Brookings and Harbor new: 07/02/2012

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