AI tells a coastal resident during a tsunami warning to evacuate to a building at least 10 meters above sea level, or to go to the top floor of a 3-story building
ID: safety/tsunami-evacuation-height-advice
Version Compatibility
| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAA Tsunami Warning Center Evacuation Guidelines 2024 | active | — | — | — |
| FEMA P-646 Guidelines for Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation from Tsunamis 3rd Edition | active | — | — | — |
| UNESCO IOC Tsunami Ready Program 2023 | active | — | — | — |
Root Cause
Tsunami wave heights vary by event and location; a 10-meter elevation may be insufficient for a major tsunami (e.g., 2011 Tohoku had run-ups exceeding 40 meters). Vertical evacuation to a building's top floor is only safe if the building is designed as a tsunami vertical evacuation structure (TVES) with adequate height, structural strength, and depth rating; generic 3-story buildings may collapse or be overtopped
generic中文
海啸波高因事件和地点而异；10米海拔可能不足以应对大海啸（例如2011年东北海啸爬高超过40米）。垂直疏散到建筑物顶层仅在建筑物被设计为海啸垂直疏散结构（TVES）并具有足够高度、结构强度和深度评级时才安全；普通3层建筑可能倒塌或被淹没
Official Documentation
https://www.tsunami.gov/Workarounds
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85% success Follow official tsunami evacuation routes to high ground (at least 30 meters elevation or as specified by local hazard maps). If no high ground is reachable, use a designated tsunami vertical evacuation structure (TVES) that is certified to FEMA P-646 standards. Do not rely on generic building heights.
Follow official tsunami evacuation routes to high ground (at least 30 meters elevation or as specified by local hazard maps). If no high ground is reachable, use a designated tsunami vertical evacuation structure (TVES) that is certified to FEMA P-646 standards. Do not rely on generic building heights.
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80% success Check local tsunami inundation maps (e.g., from NOAA or state emergency management) to pre-identify safe zones and TVES. During a warning, move inland at least 1 mile or to an elevation above the mapped maximum run-up for your area.
Check local tsunami inundation maps (e.g., from NOAA or state emergency management) to pre-identify safe zones and TVES. During a warning, move inland at least 1 mile or to an elevation above the mapped maximum run-up for your area.
中文步骤
遵循官方海啸疏散路线前往高地（至少30米海拔或根据当地灾害地图指定）。如果无法到达高地，使用经FEMA P-646标准认证的指定海啸垂直疏散结构（TVES）。不要依赖普通建筑高度。
查看当地海啸淹没地图（例如来自NOAA或州应急管理部门），预先识别安全区域和TVES。在警报期间，向内陆移动至少1英里或到高于该地区最大爬高的海拔。
Dead Ends
Common approaches that don't work:
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Evacuate to any building that is at least 10 meters above sea level
75% fail
Tsunami run-up can exceed 30 meters in some areas; a 10-meter elevation may be overtopped by large waves; local inundation maps should be used to determine safe zones
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Go to the top floor of any 3-story building as vertical evacuation
85% fail
Most 3-story buildings are not designed to withstand tsunami forces (hydrodynamic loads, debris impact, scour); only purpose-built TVES or reinforced concrete buildings above the design flood level are safe