Tsunami Hazard Worksheet/CGS

Instructions for online access to California Tsunami Maps

Part 1: Tsunami asics
!o" onto: http://conser#ation$ca$"o#/c"s
Welcome to the California Geolo"ical Sur#e% &CGS' (e)site*
Click on Geologic Hazards &the )ro(n ta) near the top of the pa"e'$ Then on
the "reen )ar that appears )elo( it+ click on Tsunamis &on the far ri"ht'$
This is the CGS Tsunami (e)site$
Scroll do(n and click on ,**New**CGS Note Tsunamis
The pa"e that comes up should ha#e TSUNAMIS Note across the
top$ -ead the first para"raph titled !"at is a tsunami#
1$ What is one (a% a tsunami can )e "enerated.
/arth0uake+ #olcanic eruption or landslide
1$ What is one difference )et(een a tsunami and a normal (a#e that )reaks on
the )each.
2 tsunami is lar"er and it sur"es instead of )reaks and falls
-ead the ne3t t(o sections titled Tsunami !arning Signs and Tsunami Hero$
4$ What should %ou do if %ou are at the )each and feel stron" shakin" from an
earth0uake.
/#acuate the premises and alert others
5$ What did Till% Smith see that (arned her that a tsunami (as comin".
The tide rushing out and weird bubbles
Scroll do(n until the top of pa"e 1 appears$ -ead the section titled Tsunami
Hazards in Cali%ornia$
6$ Tsunamis can )e caused )% either local or distant earth0uakes$
7f the fi#e tsunamis that are descri)ed+ circle the %ear of the one that %ou
think (as the (orst and e3plain (h% on the space )elo(:
1899 1:11 1;5< 1;<5 199<
1964 it was the strongest, 2011 it caused a death at 9.0 magnitude, 1700 it was 9.0
magnitude, 1946 lots of flooding, 1812 not much damage
Close the TSUNAMIS Note pa"e+ and return to the top of the CGS
Tsunami !e&site pa"e$
Created by the California Geological Survey 10/11
Part 1: Tsunami Inundation Maps
=ear the top of the CGS Tsunami !e& Site pa"e+ click on ,US' N'!
INT'(ACTI)' G**G+' MA,S INT'(-AC' T* ACC'SS *--ICA+ INUN.ATI*N
MA,S -*( 'M'(G'NC/ ,+ANNING $> This takes %ou to the tsunami inde3 map
for the state$
Think of a place alon" the California coast that %ou and %our famil% ha#e #isited
or (ould like to #isit$
T%pe the name of that cit% or )each in the search )o3$
7r+ %ou can also click directl% on the California map and zoom in until %ou see
%our area$ Continue to zoom in until %ou can read the names of all the streets$
1$ -ecord the name of the area %ou searched for:
San ?rancisco
The )lue area on the map is called the inundation zone+ and represents the
area that can )e affected )% a tsunami$
1$ If %ou (ere #isitin"+ (orkin" or li#in" in this zone+ name t(o (a%s %ou mi"ht
)e (arned that a tsunami could )e approachin":
&1'If there (as an earth0uake that da%
&1'If the oceans had (eird )u))lin"
4$ If %ou are in a tsunami inundation zone and %ou recei#e a (arnin"+ (hat
should %ou do.
2lert others and e#acuate to hi"her "rounds
Part 4: Tsunami Inundation and /le#ation
While still on the interacti#e map (e)pa"e+ in the upper ri"ht corner of the map+
open the drop do(n menu la)eled Ma0 on the upper ri"ht+ and click on the
M1To0o option$ This (ill chan"e the underl%in" map to a @SGS topo"raphic
)ase map$
The ed"e of the coastline represents seaAle#el$ Sea Ale#el has an ele#ation of
zero feet$ Contour lines represent (here the ele#ation is the same$ ?or e3ample+
if %ou (alk alon" a 19Afoot contour line+ %ou (ill not "o up or do(n hillB %ou (ill
sta% at the same ele#ation$
When scientists calculate the e3pected size of a tsunami alon" the California
coastline+ man% thin"s are taken into account: the cause of the tsunami+ ho( far the
(a#e tra#els from its source+ the shape of the coastline+ and the shape of the
Created by the California Geological Survey 10/11
sea floor near the coast$ Scientists use the contour lines on topo"raphic maps
to sho( the limit of the inundation zone$
?or an area that scientists e3pect a 16Afoot tsunami+ the tsunami inundation line
(ould )e dra(n at an ele#ation of 16 feet$ This (ould mean that e#er%thin" from
the shoreline to an ele#ation of 16 feet (ould )e co#ered )% that tsunami$
Tsunamis can )e different sizes$ The inundation line is dra(n at an ele#ation that
represents the lar"est tsunami that could )e "enerated for that area$
T%pe ,Seal each> into the Searc" 2o3 and click search$ Coom in as far as %ou
can$ Make sure %ou still ha#e the )ase map still set at M1To0o$
?ind ,4oeter Sc"ool on the map$ &=ote ,School> is a))re#iated as
,Sch>'$ ?ind ,McGaug" Sc"ool$>
1$ Which school is inside the tsunami inundation area. Coeter
Coeter School has an ele#ation of 14 ft$
McGau"h School has an ele#ation of 11 feet$
1$ If the to(n of Seal each recei#ed a tsunami (arnin"+ (ould )oth schools
need to e#acuate their students. Des
4$ /3plain (h%:
ItEs still close to the flood zone and there (ill pro)a)l% )e lots of dama"e
5$ Share this (e)site (ith %our famil%* Comments:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
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The ne3t time %ou #isit the California coast+ look for
these )lue and (hite si"ns:
Created by the California Geological Survey 10/11