Tsunami in Redwood Coast, California

Surges in Crescent City harbor caused damage to docks and coastal infrastructure and sank numerous fishing boats. The damage was primarily caused by the high velocity current.

On March 10, a 9.1 earthquake off the west coast of Japan caused a tsunami that traveled across the Pacific Ocean in roughly ten hours. The first waves arrived on the coast of northern California around 9:30 a.m. on March 11 and continued for over three days. The largest amplitude wave arrived at approximately 10:30 a.m. on March 11 and measured approximately 8 feet in Crescent City, California. The maximum amplitude wave coincided with a relatively small 0.3 foot astronomical tide. This resulted in a total water depth of approximately 8.3 feet above mean sea level which did not inundate any land surface. The high velocity current associated with this maximum amplitude wave resulted in the majority of damage reported. The highest overall water height occurred at 2:00 a.m. the following morning when a 3 foot tsunami wave coincided with a 6 foot astronomical tide. The resultant overall water height of approximately 9 feet inundated a state highway but did not cause any damages.