Washington State Releases New Tsunami Evacuation Maps

Just a day after much of Washington State took part in Great Shakeout Earthquake drills, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has unveiled new tsunami evacuation maps and videos.

The maps produced by DNR's Washington Geological Survey estimates the time evacuees could reach safety by foot, walking 2.46 miles per hour, in the event of a tsunami caused by a quake in the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

The sets of simulation videos for the central Washington coast show the extent and depth of on-land flooding and maximum current velocities from a modeled magnitude 9.0 Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. The videos also provide an estimate for how much time will transpire between the earthquake and the arrival of tsunami waves on shore.

Studies show it could take just 10-15 minutes for a quake triggered tsunami to crash into the Washington coastline.

By releasing evacuation maps and videos, DNR hopes people living along the coast prepare for the fast-moving tide by knowing their route to safety beforehand.

The simulation videos are viewable on the DNR YouTube channel.

The new pedestrian evacuation maps and maps for other communities are available through an interactive map.

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