
LMU Emergency Management is hosting Tsunami Preparedness Week March 21–25, in alignment with the national Ready Campaign. While the Westchester bluff is elevated enough to not be in the inundation zone, much of the surrounding area, including Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, and the Ballona Wetlands, are within reach of a tsunami hazard. Living by the coast, it’s important to know how to respond in the unlikely event of a tsunami.
Prepare BEFORE
- Use the interactive tsunami inundation zone map to verify if you live, work, or otherwise frequent a vulnerable area.
- Know the evacuation route from anywhere you frequent that’s in the inundation zone.
- Prepare an emergency kit for your home, car, and workplace; make a family communication plan.
- Learn the natural warning signs of a tsunami:
- FEEL the ground shaking, either severely or for a long time.
- SEE an unusual disappearance of water, or an oncoming wall of water.
- HEAR a loud roaring sound coming from the ocean.
- Be aware and informed.
- Confirm that your mobile phone is set up to receive wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) in your area.
- Purchase a hand crank (or battery operated) flashlight and radio, or purchase a NOAA weather radio receiver (with an alert feature and Specific Area Message Encoding, or SAME) to keep you informed of tsunami watches and warnings.
Survive DURING
- If you are near the ocean and feel the earth shake or hear a loud roar:
- Evacuate immediately inland to higher ground and take shelter.
- If you are unable to quickly move inland, find a high, multistory, reinforced concrete building and get to the third floor or above.
- Do not wait for official evacuation orders.
- RUN if you see a tsunami coming.
- Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean; strong tsunami waves and currents may push water up these channels.
Stay Safe AFTER
- Follow the advice of local emergency and law enforcement authorities; don’t return until local authorities say it’s safe.
- If the tsunami was generated by a local earthquake, be alert for aftershocks and stay tuned to local radio and television broadcasts for emergency information and recovery assistance.
Please visit the LMU Emergency Management tsunami preparedness page for further tips and guidance.