PORT ANGELES — The Washington Emergency Management Division has published a new Tsunami Maritime Response and Mitigation Strategy outlining how a major Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could affect Port Angeles Harbor and surrounding waterfront facilities. The report is part of ongoing statewide planning to assess risks and improve local preparedness.
The study models a scenario in which a magnitude 9.0 earthquake generates a tsunami expected to reach Port Angeles within about an hour, with projected wave heights of roughly 16 feet in the harbor. The analysis covers the Port Angeles marina, the Coast Guard Air Station at Ediz Hook, and John Wayne Marina in Sequim Bay, detailing how infrastructure in those areas could be impacted.
Emergency officials say anyone on land within the expected inundation zone should evacuate using designated routes as soon as earthquake shaking stops, noting that limited response time is a key factor in local planning. The report also clarifies guidance for boaters, recommending they secure their vessels at the marina rather than attempt to reach deeper water.
A public meeting to review the findings and provide additional information is scheduled for January 20 in Port Angeles. The Port of Port Angeles will release meeting details in the coming weeks.
Download the latest report here:
Port Angeles and John Wayne Marina Tsunami Strategy
Appendix 1 Alert dissemination methods