Los Angeles Times: By Rong-Gong Lin II, Tony Barboza and Hector Becerra
A large tsunami hitting California would cause major flooding in Long Beach and parts of Orange County and force 750,000 people to evacuate coastal areas in a few hours, according to extensive simulation published Wednesday by U.S. Geological Survey.
The study, released two years after a tsunami killed thousands in Japan, identified several communities that are particularly vulnerable to flooding because of their low elevation and lack of protection from waves. They include Marina del Rey, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as a swath of low-lying coastal areas between San Pedro and Newport Beach.
