Structural damage by tsunamis

Abstract

This paper presents a brief discussion of structural damage by tsunamis based primarily on damage produced by recent tsunamis along the northern California coast. Of these recent tsunamis, by far the most damaging was the one of March 1964; which caused approximately $11,000,000 damage at Crescent City, about $300,000 damage at other coastal locations, and about $200,000 damage in San Francisco Bay. At Crescent City, where the maximum runup reached about 21 feet above mean lower low water, damage was largely to wood frame structures of relatively light construction and to floating vessels. At other locations, damage was primarily to commercial fishing and pleasure vessels and associated shoreside structures. Acknowledgement i s gratefully made to the Corps of Engineers for access and permission to use data on file in the San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the many other agencies and Individuals that gave their observations, records or photography for the writer.