Use tsunami maps before a natural warning

On a normal day, check the California Tsunami Hazard Area Map. Look up the exact beach, harbor, low street, river mouth, marina, home, or workplace. Walk the posted route inland or to high ground. Check the local evacuation plan too. A nearby hill may be outside the mapped area while a low block is not.

The map helps local coastal evacuation planning. It is not a live warning or a forecast of when a tsunami will happen. It is also not a legal real-estate disclosure or another regulatory decision. The boundary shows the largest area considered for planning. It may follow practical streets and geographic features. Use the local route instead of treating the line as the exact edge of the water.

At the coast, strong ground shaking is a natural warning. If you feel an earthquake on a beach or in a harbor, move inland or to high ground at once. If you are in the evacuation area and very strong shaking lasts 20 seconds or more, leave as soon as it is safe. A sudden ocean retreat or loud ocean roar is another warning. Do not wait for a phone alert.

For an official warning about a faraway event, follow local evacuation steps. Stay out until officials give the all-clear. The first wave may not be the largest. Unsafe flooding and currents can last for hours.