NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Tsunami Sign Placement Guidelines.
- File
- PB2005101783.pdf
- Author(s)
- Darienzo, M.
- Source
- January 2003, 16 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- OFR-03-06
- Abstract
- Tsunamis are usually generated by great subduction zone earthquakes when the ocean floor is rapidly uplifted during the earthquake. The tsunami wave from a local subduction zone earthquake will arrive at the coast in approximately 15-30 minutes, and tsunami waves will continue to arrive periodically for several hours. When the shaking stops, people must immediately move inland and to high ground. It is critical that residents and tourists know where the tsunami hazard zones, evacuation routes and safe zones are located along the coast. The most visible way to educate the public about them is to post signs. There are several tsunami signs available: tsunami hazard zone, tsunami evacuation route, tsunami evacuation site, and entering/leaving tsunami hazard zone. All these signs were created in Oregon. The tsunami hazard zone and evacuation route signs have been adopted for use by the Pacific states of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program steering group (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington). Other Pacific Rim countries have also either adopted or adapted the signs for their use. To insure consistency of sign placement, the following guidelines were developed for each of the signs.
- Keywords
- Tsunami evacuation sites; Entering/leaving tsunami hazard zones; Evacuation; Tsunami evacuation routes; Emergency planning; California; Oregon; Alaska; Sign location; Hazards; Washington (State); Pacific states; Tsumanis; Guidelines; Consistency; Tsunami hazard zones; Hawaii; Signs