Dr. Summer Ohlendorf, NOAA’s National Weather Service Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, AK

Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, oh my! What’s one thing these hazards have in common? They’re all capable of moving a large amount of water very quickly, creating a special set of waves called a tsunami. While the most well known tsunami up here is the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami, tsunamis can come in many sizes and remain an ongoing threat to coastal Alaskans. On the heels of World Tsunami Awareness Day (Nov. 5), we’ll share some of the things that make tsunamis different from regular waves, how scientists monitor and warn for tsunamis, and how you can keep yourselves and your families safe.

Resources to access at home:

» NOAA Educational Tsunami Resources
» Alaska tsunami evacuation maps and more!
» Interactive tsunami inundation/flooding maps
» Alaska geohazard educational resources – Earthscope Alaska Native Geoscience Learning Experience (ANGLE)
» NOAA Mitigates the Impact of Killer Waves – Storymap