New app shows tsunami evacuation routes along the coast

SOUTH COAST — An app showing tsunami evacuation zones can now be downloaded.

The app was created by the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems, along with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries.

In a press release from DOGAMI, the app uses the NANOOS Visualization System, giving users an at-a-glance view of tsunami hazard zones along the Oregon and Washington coasts.

“Users can locate their current location on the map to see if they are in a tsunami evacuation zone, plan their own evacuation routes, download published evacuation brochures for the region, and now print and save customized evacuation brochures centered on an area of interest,” the release said.

“This app is great for homeowners on the coast as well as visitors who are planning trips,” said Jon Allan, DOGAMI coastal scientist and one of the app developers, in the release. “Knowing where you are in the tsunami zone means you will be better prepared should a tsunami occur. You can bookmark places and save or print a unique evacuation map centered on your home, work place, hotel or even camp site. Users can then determine their nearest point of high ground outside the evacuation zone and develop a plan for how to get there.”

The free NVS Tsunami Evacuation app is can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

The release pointed out that the coasts of Oregon, Washington and Northern California are exposed to tsunamis from distant earthquakes, as well as local ones.

“The greatest risk to northwest coastal communities is from very large, locally generated tsunamis produced by an earthquake (magnitude 8-9+) occurring offshore the coast of Oregon and Washington on the Cascadia subduction zone,” the release said, adding that DOGAMI and the Washington Geological Survey mapped the zones that would be inundated by a tsunami.

The app was funded by a grant from the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The custom brochure tool was developed with funding from DOGAMI through the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program of NOAA – National Weather Service.

Reporter Jillian Ward can be reached at 541-269-1222, ext. 235, or by email at jillian.war