San Francisco tsunami planning starts with the zone and a route inland

San Francisco’s tsunami map is an advance-planning tool. Check home, work, school, a hotel, a ferry stop, or another waterfront place you use often, then notice the quickest route inland or uphill. The shaded zone shows where planning matters; it does not forecast the reach of a particular event.

There is one action worth remembering without opening a map. If you are near the coast and feel strong or long earthquake shaking, protect yourself during the shaking. Once it stops, move inland or to higher ground right away. Do not wait for AlertSF, a Wireless Emergency Alert, or a siren before leaving the low area.

For a distant tsunami, official alerts may provide more lead time. Follow the current message, stay out of the hazard area, and do not return until officials say it is safe. A tsunami is a series of waves, so the first one is not an all-clear.