'Really important': Oregon officials urge tsunami and earthquake preparedness
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A tsunami warning for the Oregon Coast Thursday morning was canceled following a 7.0 earthquake was recorded off the shore of California, authorities said.
Even though there were no tsunami waves observed along the Oregon Coast, when all was said and done, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is nevertheless warning the public to be prepared in case it ever does happen in the future. That includes checking the Oregon Tsunami Clearinghouse web page for more information about evacuation zones, evacuation routes and detailed maps.
The earthquake happened at 10:44 a.m., 56 miles east of Petrolia, California, Oregon state officials said. The first warning of a tsunami was sent out at 10:49 a.m. by the Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska. Initially, the tsunami warning area of impact encompassed the Douglas/Lane County border to the north and extended south all the way to Davenport, California. The warning was ultimately canceled at 11:54 a.m.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department also closed all Oregon Coast beach parks until 3 p.m. out of an abundance of caution.
Althea Rizzo is the program coordinator for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management's Geologic Hazards Program. She told KOIN 6 News it's important that the public prepare for when a tsunami or earthquake does strike in Oregon in the future since emergency services like 911 may be unable to respond like they normally would.
"It's going to be really important that those who have the resources to prepare do that preparation. And that's why we recommend folks look at our 'Be 2 Weeks Ready' program," Rizzo said.
The Be 2 Weeks Ready website is a free toolkit people can use to prepare everyone in their household with the knowledge of what to do during an earthquake or tsunami, such as where to meet and how to communicate with each other if they're separated.
"Really the first thing is, is just talking to the people in your household, talking to your friends, talking to your neighbors, getting to know your neighbors. Because you could be saving each other's lives after an earthquake or tsunami like this," Rizzo said.
The Nanoos Tsunami Evacuation Zones app is also an important resource to check out, particularly for those on the Oregon Coast — whether you live or work there or are just visiting.
"If folks are over on the coast, just knowing whether you're in the tsunami zone or not is really important," Rizzo said. "And then when you go over to the coast, practice those routes before you really settle in and get comfortable at night, just so you know that you have that little bit of knowledge that could save your life if something happens in the middle of the night. Because as we saw this morning, it can happen at any time."
Other resources to stay prepared include signing up for emergency alerts via ORalert.gov and turning on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your phone.
Travelers may want to check real-time road conditions via Oregon's TripCheck or Washington State Department of Transportation's real-time traffic map.
KOIN 6 News has also put together a complete list of everything you would need for a go kit, which includes essentials such as food, water, medications, personal documents and other items.