2p

Test Your Tsunami Tsmarts!
(soo-nam-ee)

A.  Based on geologic evidence, how often have large, local offshore earthquakes capable of generating tsunamis struck Oregon?

a.  Every 50-100 years    b.  Every 300-600 years    c.  None.  There is no way to determine when tsunamis have struck the Oregon coast.  

B.  Where can earthquakes occur that could cause tsunamis to strike the Oregon Coast?  a.  Cascadia Subduction Zone   b.  Alaska & Russia   c.  a and b 

C.  In the open ocean how many miles per hour can a tsunami travel?

a. 75 mph    b.  200 mph    c.  500 mph, about the speed of a commercial jet.

D.  How long can it take a tsunami generated by an earthquake in Alaska to reach Oregon’s coastline?  a.  5-30 minutes    b.  6 or more hours    c.  Unable to determine 

E.  When a local tsunami occurs from an earthquake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, how long before the first wave arrives on shore?  a.  5-30 minutes    b.  1-3 hours    c.  5-10 hours

 (True or False)

1.         A tsunami has nothing to do with the tide, but most often is caused by undersea earthquakes.

2.         As the tsunami wave approaches the coastline and shallower water, its speed slows and height increases dramatically.

3.         A person can run faster than a tsunami once it reaches the shore. 

4.         A tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of waves that arrive over 8 to 10 hours; the second and third waves can be larger than the first. 

5.         The rapidly rising sea level at the shore caused by the high velocity tsunami picks up debris, boats, logs and other materials that can further destroy buildings and injure people. 

6.         People in low-lying areas near the ocean are not at risk of tsunami flooding. 

7.         Scientific evidence shows that the last major tsunami to strike the Oregon Coast was in January, 1700. 

8.         Nearby earthquakes, on the Cascadia Subduction Zone located off the Oregon coast, can’t generate local tsunamis before a warning can be issued. 

9.         The Oregon Coast can experience a “distant” tsunami from an earthquake occurring in other parts of the world. 

10.       To escape a tsunami, sometimes evacuating inland away from the coastline is as important as going to higher ground.

A special thanks to Peggy Peirson who provided this page and information to 1580 KGAL and 920 KSHO.

Peggy Peirson, Benton County Emergency Services Coordinator

Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management Division

553 NW Monroe, Corvallis, OR  97330

(541) 766-6864, (541) 766-6052  
 

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