How far inland did the most recent tsunami in Japan travel?
Asked by
pleiades (
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November 21st, 2012
I wonder how far a Tsunami would carry inland onto the California coast should a 9.2 struck the Pacific near California. Or is the geography underneath the ocean much different?
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That depends on where in California it strikes. In my area it wouldn’t get any farther than the Santa Monica mountains.
There are variations all up and down the coast. The recent tsunami that did damage in California after the Japan earthquake/tsunami had its strongest effect where inlets narrowed, such as the Santa Cruz Harbor. Along Ocean Beach in San Francisco it wasn’t funneled into an intensive height.
The worst known tsunami effect in California was in Crescent City after the 1964 Alaskan quake.. Crescent City Harbor narrows and intensifies the wave.
The last tsunami did hit Berkeley/Emeryville CA at low tide, when the mudflats extend out a half a mile from the high tide shoreline. That area is directly opposite the Golden Gate. The tsunami caused a wave of 2 to 4 inches height to push the low tide line all the way to the shore. If it had happened at high tide it could have caused water to cross the Eastshore Freeway and flood Emeryville and Berkeley with a few feet of water for a good 8 to ten blocks.
Here is what the California conservation people are calling an inundation map, may be helpful.
When was this? I don’t much keep up with the news.
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