Probability of Dying in a Tsunami in the US
1 in 2,000,000
Lifetime probability in US
The estimated lifetime odds of dying in a tsunami in the US are roughly 1 in 2 million, with highest risk along the Pacific Northwest coast.
Tsunami risk in the United States is concentrated along the Pacific coast, Hawaii, and Alaska. The estimated lifetime odds of dying in a tsunami for an average American are roughly 1 in 2 million, though risk is dramatically higher for residents of coastal areas in the Pacific Northwest, where the Cascadia Subduction Zone is capable of generating massive tsunamis.
The last major tsunami to affect the US mainland was in 1964, when the Great Alaska Earthquake generated a tsunami that killed 124 people in Alaska, Oregon, and California. Hawaii has a longer history of damaging tsunamis, including a 1946 event that killed 159 people. The Cascadia Subduction Zone last ruptured in 1700 and has an estimated 10-14% probability of producing a magnitude 9.0+ earthquake in the next 50 years.
Tsunami preparedness includes knowing if you live or vacation in a tsunami hazard zone, recognizing natural warning signs (strong earthquake, unusual ocean withdrawal), moving immediately to high ground or inland when a warning is issued, and never going to the beach to watch a tsunami. NOAA operates the Pacific and Atlantic Tsunami Warning Centers to provide alerts.
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