For most communities, however, little or no data exist. For these areas, tsunami inundation numerical models can provide estimates of areas that could be flooded in the event of a local or distant earthquake. The accuracy of this technology is appropriate to design the other two elements of the model warning and educated response systems. Participants were of the strong opinion that the production of these maps should be guided by local experts who had detailed knowledge of that geographical area. The participants also wanted these maps to be as accurate as possible, so they felt that the models should be tested and validated with observed data.
Technology exists to produce tsunami inundation maps for emergency preparedness.
Establish a group of scientists to produce tsunami inundation maps for coastal towns in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Tsunami inundation map production should be guided and implemented by State and local users. Test and validate models with observed data. Three types of tsunami warning systems exist to alert populations of the occurrence of an earthquake that has high potential to generate a tsunami. All three systems use earthquake magnitude as the trigger for warnings and use coastal tide stations as verification that a tsunami exists and as a guide to announce that the danger has passed.