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yesterday

Crescent City Harbor Holds Firm Against 4-Foot Tsunami Surge

Harbor authorities now plan a nearly $1 million rebuild after engineered defenses diverted the tsunami surge

Dozens of onlookers March 12, 2011, came to see the damage at the Crescent City Harbor, which sustained the most damage of any harbor along the California coast after an earthquake in Japan the previous day triggered a tsunami.
Crab-fishing boats docked at the marina in Crescent City, Calif.
Crescent City, whose marina is seen here, is expected to see the worst tsunami waves in Northern California.
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Overview

  • Tsunami advisories for California’s North Coast were lifted after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Far East prompted Pacific-wide alerts
  • Crescent City recorded the highest continental U.S. waves—up to 4 feet—which lifted a dock off its pilings but left downtown flood-free and caused no injuries
  • About 100 boats were preemptively sent to deeper water and residents were barred from beaches and waterways before the surge arrived
  • The harbor’s “sacrificial” dock, built to dissipate wave energy, absorbed the brunt of the force and protected inner harbor infrastructure
  • Damage estimates approaching $1 million have led officials to seek local and state funding for repairs since FEMA support is unlikely