When thinking of the tsunami that struck Indonesia, killing a quarter of a million people, few residents consider the possibility of something similar hitting Wrightsville Beach. However, any kind of event like an earthquake off of Puerto Rico or a meteor landing in the ocean could trigger a catastrophic event.
Tom Matheson, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wilmington, will be giving a free presentation on the tsunami threat to Wrightsville Beach at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 at town hall. The talk will cover: What is a tsunami?; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Tsunami Warning Program; and what you should do in the event of a tsunami.
“It’s a great big ocean out there, and Wrightsville Beach is right there at the edge,” Matheson said.
The National Weather Service would activate the Emergency Alert System in the event of a tsunami.
Communications have improved since the tsunami that hit Indonesia. Once the NOAA center sees the problem, the National Weather Service will be contacted within minutes, Matheson said, and then coastal areas would have approximately two hours or more to evacuate.
The National Weather Service will be putting up four signs at four beaches in New Hanover County, including Wrightsville Beach, telling residents and visitors to evacuate the beach in the event of a tsunami.
