WHEREAS, emergency preparedness at State, regional, and local levels is extremely vital for survival in times of crisis; and
WHEREAS, Alaska is one of the world’s most seismically active regions and has the most coastline of any U.S. state, and its coastlines contain many communities that are susceptible to tsunamis generated by earthquakes and unstable slopes; and
WHEREAS, the second-largest earthquake ever recorded in the world, the magnitude 9.2 Great Alaska Good Friday Earthquake of March 27, 1964, devastated numerous Alaskan communities and triggered tsunamis that took the lives of over 130 people in Alaska, California, and Oregon; and
WHEREAS, local, State, and Federal agencies are working in partnership with Alaskan communities to further 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 alert Alaskan communities of potential dangers 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 called the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program connects coastal States to the Tsunami Science and Alerting community; and Alaska coastal governments and organizations connect 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 24 – 30, 2024 as:
Tsunami Preparedness Week
in Alaska and urge all Alaskans to be aware of, and prepared for, a tsunami hazard in their local regions, as we remember how Alaskans and others across the world have been impacted by tsunamis.
Dated: March 24, 2024
