Lessons Learned from Crescent Lessons Learned from Crescent CityCity

Tsunami Mitigation and the Role of Tsunami Mitigation and the Role of EducationEducation

Crescent City, California November 16, 2006

Lori Dengler, Humboldt State UniversityCongressional Hazards Caucus, October 11, 2007

• Lessons from the 2006 tsunami• Progress & challenges with earthquake & tsunami mitigation• 2006 Tsunami Warning and Education Act• The need to integrate earthquake and tsunami mitigation programs

November 15, 2006 M8.3 Kuril Islands

Progress and Problems with the tsunami warning system

• Major improvements in the Tsunami Detection and Warning Dissemination Ability

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Kahului Maui HI

Port Orford OR

Humboldt Bay CA

Crescent Citty CA

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• Need to understand the first surge isn’t the biggest

Puumaile, Hawaii 1946 Hilo, Hawaii 1946

Puumaile, Hawaii 1946Hilo, Hawaii 1946

Laie Point, Hawaii 1957

• Need to educate about the range of what a tsunami is

• Need to educate about the duration of the tsunami hazard

• Need to develop mitigation tools for small boat basins

What is so special about Crescent City?

• Need to understand causes of amplification• Need more water level (tide gauge) recorders• Need to develop instruments to measure tsunami currents

The Tsunami Warning and Education Act of 2006

The Tsunami Warning and Education Act of 2006

“The expansion of the NTHMP from the five Pacific states to 29 coastal states, commonwealths, and territories and the passage of the Tsunami Warning and Education Act offers a unique opportunity to strengthen the organizational structure of the program and enhance tsunami resilience in the United States.”

• Need to develop an organizational structure that preserves the strengths of the original 5 state program, and develop benchmarks for measuring progress

PTWC WCATWC

• Need to coordinate products and procedures

• Need to strengthen requirements for certification and recertification• Incorporate earthquakes ??

• Need to EXERCISE!!

Tsunami Awareness

0 20 40 60 80 100

Knows what tsunami is

Tsunami can arrive minutes after EQ

Not safe after 1st wave retreats

Knows what Cascadia S.Z. is

Percent Yes

Nov. 06

Apr. 01

Jan. 96

Mar. 95

Nov. 93

Apr. 93

• Need to define desired outcomes and measure progress

Northern California Survey Results

Opinions

0 20 40 60 80 100

Damaging EQ likely in 10 years

Had talked about earthquakes

People in affected arearesponsible

Government responsible

Percent Yes

Nov. 06

Apr. 01

Jan. 96

Mar. 95

Nov. 93

Apr. 93

• Need to foster a sense of responsibility for individual and community preparedness

Two Stories From Thailand

Charles Ramsden Tilly Smith