Read more: Local, Tsunami, Conference, Carolina Coast, Coast, Earthquake, Underwater Landslide
Meteorologists, emergency management and hospital workers attended a tsunami conference in Wilmington, North Carolina Friday.
The biggest topic at the conference was how to raise tsunami awareness, not because of how rare an east coast tsunami is, but also because a tsunami here could happen with very little warning.
One possible trigger for a tsunami along the carolina coast would be a major earthquake along the Puerto Rican trench. In that case, experts say we'd have several hours to respond and evacuate.
Brian S. Yanagi with the International Tsunami Center told NewsChannel 15, "An earthquake off Puerto Rico where they have a large earthquake hazard zone could generate a major earthquake and generate a tsunami which could potentially strike the east coast in about five to six hours."
Sensors have been placed and warning systems have improved since the Indonesia tsunami in 2004. But experts say if we're struck by a local tsunami, we couldn't rely on those systems for warning. In fact, a tsunami here would most likely be generated by an underwater landslide along the continental shelf.
"If that were to occur its impacts could generate a tsunami on your coastline within minutes," Yanagi said."You have to rely on the natural warning signs because with any type of local tsunami can rise within minutes there is not enough time to provide official warnings or official actions that you need to take. You just need to know and sense your surroundings."
Emergency management says their main goal is to teach people what signs to look for and what to do if a tsunami happens here.
Horry and Georgetown counties are both considered tsunami ready by the National Weather Service.
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