WHEREAS, emergency preparedness at state, regional, and local levels is extremely vital for survival in times of crisis; and
WHEREAS, Alaska has the most coastline of any U.S. State and its coastline contains many communities that are vulnerable to tsunamis generated by earthquakes and unstable slopes and is one of the world’s most seismically active regions; and
WHEREAS, the second-largest earthquake ever recorded in the world, the magnitude 9.2 Great Alaska Earthquake of March 27, 1964, devastated numerous Alaska communities and produced tsunamis killing 131 people in Alaska, California, and Oregon; and
WHEREAS, a recently discovered, slow-moving massive rock mass in Barry Arm fjord, 28 miles northeast of Whittier, has the potential to generate a damaging tsunami for Whittier and create regional impacts within Prince William Sound; and
WHEREAS, local, state, and federal agencies are partnering with Alaska communities to better understand the impact of landslide tsunami risks in Barry Arm and elsewhere along coastal Alaska, and The National Tsunami Warning Center is also tailoring detection and warning operations to warn Alaskan communities if there is danger from non-seismic sources; and
WHEREAS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operates the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer to monitor possible hazards in the Continental United States and Canada and stands ready to issue tsunami warnings and advisories; and
WHEREAS, a collaborative readiness program connects Alaska coastal governments and organizations to State and Federal resources to help tsunami-prone communities become certified as “Tsunami Ready.” Through Tsunami hazard preparedness and community awareness, the program improves public safety before, during, and after tsunami emergencies.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim March 26 – April 1, 2023 as:
Tsunami Preparedness Week
in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to be mindful of, and prepared for, a tsunami hazard in their local areas, as we remember how Alaskans and others across the world have been impacted by tsunamis.
Dated: March 26, 2023
