Oregon Sea Grant

Experts are predicting a major rupture of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) sometime within the twenty-first century. When that happens, it will cause an offshore earthquake at a magnitude of 9.0+. After the tremors subside (about 5 min), a powerful tsunami will strike land. Oregon is known for its strong sense of community and grassroots-style initiatives. When the CSZ events occur, it will take that culture of resilience to cope with the disaster. When it comes to tsunamis, minutes matter. This chapter presents work by the coauthors related to tsunami evacuation and Oregon preparedness. An important dimension to mitigating the impact of coastal hazards is local ecological knowledge of land and seascapes. We describe the utility of agent-based modeling to assess likely tsunami scenarios and, through the participation of local community volunteers and co-production of local ecological knowledge, use the information to inform community members and emergency planners on how to improve readiness strategies. The results of this research advance a culture of individual and community-level preparedness, thereby enhancing overall local community resilience.