"US Tsunami Warning System Needs Major Overhaul, Report Says"

"Current system is rife with outdated software, delayed alerts and poor communication to the public, according to expert panel".

"The United States’ tsunami system is in need of a major update, with ongoing problems that include outdated software, delayed alerts and poor communication to the public, according to a panel of tsunami experts. Its recent report sees “an urgent need for action” and advises the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to overhaul aspects of the system to fix these and other pressing issues.

Tsunamis are a series of very long ocean waves generally caused by undersea earthquakes or other events that disrupt a significant amount of ocean water. The U.S. West Coast, Hawaii and Alaska are particularly tsunami-prone, with potential threats found around the Pacific rim. At least 30 reported tsunamis have caused at least one death or $1 million in damage to the United States as of January 2018, according to NOAA.

As recently as January, tsunami waves reached the West Coast and advisories were issued across Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California, prompted by the underwater explosion of the Hunga Tonga volcano that sent shock waves around the world."

Diana Leonard reports for the Washington Post March 13, 2022.

Source: Washington Post, 03/14/2022