LOS ANGELES – Tsunami waves generated by a large offshore earthquake would threaten at least 1 million coastal residents in California, according to a new report.
The bleak study being released today found gaps in the state’s readiness to handle a tsunami, including flaws in the existing warning system, lack of evacuation plans by coastal communities, and building codes that don’t take into account tsunami-strength surges.
In addition, many residents are unaware of the potential danger of tsunamis and wouldn’t know how to respond, the California Seismic Safety Commission report said.
About a million people live in low-lying coastal areas that are vulnerable to flooding by a tsunami. Existing building codes call for structures to be able to withstand severe shaking from an earthquake, but the report revealed that homes and businesses are rarely designed to hold up against tsunami-force surges.
The report also found most coastal communities lacked evacuation plans for residents because of funding problems.
The state Office of Emergency Services and the University of California produced maps that show the coastal areas most at risk, but few communities used them to map out and mark evacuation routes, the report found.
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