Update on Tsunami Risk and Resilience

Summary

Slides from Elyssa Tappero, Tsunami Program Manager, Washington State Emergency Management Division, for the Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans Committee on December 5, 2025. The slides state that WA has one of the highest tsunami risks in the nation, that 300,000 people live, work, and recreate in the tsunami hazard zone, and that the Cascadia Subduction Zone carries a 10-30% chance in the next 50 years. They state that the state could experience more than 50,000 casualties and describe tsunami vertical evacuation structures (VES) as bringing high ground to communities. The Funding Barriers slide states that the WA Tsunami Program relies entirely on federal grant funding through NOAA and FEMA that has either been cancelled or is currently in jeopardy.

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Issuer: Congressional materials
Document type: 2025 12 05 A33521 D290115 Wmd Emd Update On Tsunami Risk And Resilience
Date: 2025-12-05
Case: 2025 12 05 A33521 D290115 Wmd Emd Update On Tsunami Risk And Resilience

Cite this document

“Update on Tsunami Risk and Resilience.” Original at app.leg.wa.gov, dated 2025-12-05. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2025-12-05-2025-12-05-a33521-d290115-wmd-emd-update-on-tsunami-risk-and-resilience/, SHA-256 cb098d18aadc8ed623f71af5839d81b7655111f2cc32f8197f2fdfe6ce9fae20.

Full text

 Washington Military Department
 Emergency Management Division



Technology, Economic Development, and
         Veterans Committee

Update on Tsunami Risk and Resilience
   Elyssa Tappero, Tsunami Program Manager
Washington State Emergency Management Division
                          December 5, 2025
                                                 1
           Washington Military Department
           Emergency Management Division


               Washington State Tsunami Risk
• WA has one of the highest tsunami risks in the
  nation
• 300,000 people live, work, and recreate in our
  tsunami hazard zone
• Cascadia Subduction Zone:
   • Most catastrophic natural hazard the US faces
   • 10-30% chance in the next 50 years


                                                     2
Washington Military Department
Emergency Management Division


We could experience more than 50,000 casualties




                   How do we save lives?          3
           Washington Military Department
           Emergency Management Division



       Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Structures
• Tsunami vertical evacuation structures (VES) bring high
  ground to communities; saved thousands of lives in the
  2011 tsunami
• WA has 2 VES currently and needs at least 58-80+ more
• VES needs assessment identifies potential VES locations
• Manual for Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Structures guides
  communities through the VES process
• Tsunami VES Project Manager position (FEMA BRIC funded)
  provides subject matter expertise to local communities
                                                             4
             Washington Military Department
             Emergency Management Division



               Other Tsunami Resilience Efforts
• Tsunami maritime response and mitigation strategies for key ports and marinas
• Exercises with local, state, tribal, and federal partners to test alerting procedures
• Evacuation wayfinding (tsunami signs, maps, route maintenance)
• Education and outreach materials, in-person and virtual events, and social media




                                                                                          5
            Washington Military Department
            Emergency Management Division



                               Funding Barriers
• The WA Tsunami Program within the Disaster Resilience Unit relies entirely on federal
  grant funding through NOAA and FEMA that has either been cancelled or is currently in
  jeopardy
• Without this funding, local communities can’t build resilience, and we lose our ability to
  support tsunami education and outreach, mitigation, alerting, and response across the
  state


         State-level support and advocacy are vital to closing this gap
       and saving lives in the next catastrophic earthquake and tsunami
                                                                                      6

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Our copy: 2025-12-05_a33521_d290115_wmd-emd-update-on-tsunami-risk-and-resilience.pdf
Original: app.leg.wa.gov