Earthquake in Alaska - Tsunami Watch Now Cancelled for Humboldt
A 7.0 earthquake hit this morning near Alaska, and a tsunami watch was issued for the west coast shortly thereafter. A few hours later, the watch was canceled. Because it was a watch and not a more serious warning, there was no immediate danger or evacuation orders, but it is a good reminder to be prepared in case something more serious comes our way.
First off, make sure you are signed up to receive emergency alerts. You can sign up for HSU Alert in myHumboldt, in the MyProfile tab under Emergency Contacts. To sign up for the county-wide alert system managed by the Humboldt County Sheriff Office of Emergency Services, go to this link: https://humboldtgov.org/2014/Emergency-Notifications
Next, know whether or not you are in the tsunami zone! You can download the maps from the Redwood Coast Tsunami Workgroup here. If you are not in the zone, you do not need to worry about evacuating in case of a tsunami - if you are in the zone, it's important you know your evacuation routes and meeting points.
Finally, having an emergency kit will be essential after any disaster. You can read more about building a disaster kit, as well as more about tsunami preparedness, at this link.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact HSU Emergency Management at eoc@humboldt.edu.