Observations and Impacts from the 2010 Chilean and 2011 Japanese Tsunamis in California (USA)

Wilson, R. I.; Admire, A. R.; Borrero, José C.; Dengler, Lori; Legg, Mark R.; Lynett, Patrick; McCrink, Timothy P.; Miller, Kevin M.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Sterling, K.; Whitmore, Paul M.

doi:10.1007/s00024-012-0527-z

Cited by 70 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Tsunami impacts in Japan were widely reported through the popular media, and field survey data indicate runup elevations in excess of 40 m (MORI et al, 2011). While the tsunami affected areas throughout the Pacific (see for example WILSON et al, 2012, and other papers in this special volume), the effects were generally insignificant compared to the ruin experienced in Japan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Coastal Impacts of the March 11th Tohoku, Japan Tsunami in the Galapagos Islands

Lynett

Weiss

Rentería

et al. 2012

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Abstract-On March 11, 2011 at 5:46:23 UTC (March 10 11:46:23 PM Galapagos Local Time), the M w 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake occurred near the Tohoku region off the east coast of Japan, spawning a Pacific-wide tsunami. Approximately 12,000 km away, the Galapagos Islands experienced moderate tsunami impacts, including flooding, structural damage, and strong currents. In this paper, we present observations and measurements of the tsunami effects in the Galapagos, focusing on the four largest islands in the archipelago; (from west to east) Isabela, Santiagio, Santa Cruz, and San Cristobal. Access to the tsunami affected areas was one of the largest challenges of the field survey. Aside from approximately ten sandy beaches open to tourists, all other shoreline locations are restricted to anyone without a research permit; open cooperation with the Galapagos National Park provided the survey team complete access to the Islands coastlines. Survey locations were guided by numerical simulations of the tsunami performed prior to the field work. This numerical guidance accurately predicted the regions of highest impact, as well as regions of relatively low impact. Tide-corrected maximum tsunami heights were generally in the range of 3-4 m with the highest runup of 6 m measured in a small pocket beach on Isla Isabela. Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, the largest harbor in the Galapagos experienced significant flooding and damage to structures located at the shoreline. A current meter moored inside the harbor recorded relatively weak tsunami currents of less than 0.3 m/s (0.6 knot) during the event. Comparisons with detailed numerical simulations suggest that these low current speed observations are most likely the result of data averaging at 20-min intervals and that maximum instantaneous current speeds were considerably larger. Currents in the Canal de Itabaca, a natural waterway between Santa Cruz Island and a smaller island offshore, were strong enough to displace multiple 5.5-ton navigation buoys. Numerical simulations indicate that currents in the Canal de Itabaca exceeded 4 m/s (*8 knots), a very large flow speed for a navigational waterway.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Coastal Impacts of the March 11th Tohoku, Japan Tsunami in the Galapagos Islands

Lynett

Weiss

Rentería

et al. 2012

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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“…Local topographic resonant effects were the main reason of well-expressed peaks in the observed spectra at different sites. RABINOVICH et al (2013) WILSON et al (2013) report the effects of the 2010 tsunami on the US west coast including resonant oscillations and associated strong currents within harbours. In California, the 2010 event generated a maximum tsunami amplitude of 1.2 m at Pismo Beach and caused more than $3 million damage to boats and docks in nearly a dozen harbours.…”

Section: Chile Tsunamimentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to “Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World: Volume II. Tsunamis from 1755 to 2010”

Satake

Rabinovich

Dominey‐Howes

et al. 2012

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Abstract-Eighteen papers on past and recent destructive tsunamis are included in Volume II of the PAGEOPH topical issue ''Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World.'' Three papers discuss deep-sea (DART) and coastal tsunami observations, warning systems and risk management in the Pacific Ocean. Four papers examine the 1755 Lisbon, 1964 Alaska, 2003 Algeria, and 2011 Haiti tsunamis. Four more papers, as well as some papers in Volume I, report on various aspects of the 2010 Chile tsunami. Two papers present some results of field survey and modelling investigation of the 2010 Mentawai, Indonesia, tsunami. Three papers report on modelling efforts of tsunami generation by earthquake and landslide, and of tsunami propagation. Finally, two papers discuss hazard assessment using a probabilistic approach.

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“…170, (2013) Introduction to Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World 957 management officials of the severity of the event. It is possible that these images may have prompted more urgent action, particularly in California (WILSON et al 2013). This is in contrast to the 2010 Chile tsunami that occurred in the pre-dawn hours in a society not as digitally connected as Japan.…”

Section: The 2011 Tsunami and Its Effects In Other Locationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar amplification was also observed at the time of the 1964 Alaska tsunami. WILSON et al (2013) report the observational aspects of the two recent tsunamis: the 2010 Chile tsunami and the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. Both arrived at the US west coast during low tide and did not cause significant inundation of dry land.…”

Section: The 2011 Tsunami and Its Effects In Other Locationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to “Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World: Volume I. The 2011 Tohoku Tsunami”

Satake

Rabinovich

Dominey‐Howes

et al. 2012

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Observations and Impacts from the 2010 Chilean and 2011 Japanese Tsunamis in California (USA)

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Coastal Impacts of the March 11th Tohoku, Japan Tsunami in the Galapagos Islands

Coastal Impacts of the March 11th Tohoku, Japan Tsunami in the Galapagos Islands

Introduction to “Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World: Volume II. Tsunamis from 1755 to 2010”

Introduction to “Historical and Recent Catastrophic Tsunamis in the World: Volume I. The 2011 Tohoku Tsunami”

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