What to do in a tsunami warningpublished at 21:22 Greenwich Mean Time
Christal Hayes
Reporting from California
Those of us who live along the West Coast of the US are used to earthquakes, though I haven’t experienced a 7.0 magnitude before today.
I live along the coastline and signs reading “tsunami hazard zone” litter the roads in my neighbourhood. They mark areas that are particularly at risk if a tsunami hits and encourage people to flee to higher ground if there is an earthquake.
Some signs also help evacuate people to safe areas with arrows pointing to higher ground, making it easy to see your evacuation route.
Those who live in these tsunami zones are encouraged to know their evacuation routes and have a kit ready for quick evacuation.
The state’s emergency services website notes a tsunami can hit in as little as 5 to 10 minutes after a large earthquake and sometimes the first wave to hit is often not the biggest.
It notes if you see water draw out from the shoreline and out to sea quickly, “escape immediately to higher ground or inland”.