Editing Long Beach, Washington (section)

===Earthquake and tsunami vulnerability===

If a magnitude 9.0 earthquake were to hit the [[Cascadia subduction zone]], emergency planners estimate the first tsunami waves could hit Long Beach 20 to 25 minutes later.

At a December 2016 open house, the city government presented initial plans for a proposed {{Convert|32|ft|m|adj=on}} berm which could potentially accommodate 850 persons.  The structure would have had a "modified prow," much like a ship looking out to sea.<ref>[http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/bring-hill-closer-long-beach-unveils-design-tsunami-safe-haven 'Bring The Hill Closer:' Long Beach Unveils Design For Tsunami Safe Haven], NW News Network, Tom Banse, Dec. 13, 2016.</ref>  The shape was also designed to withstand the backwash from a tsunami.  The total cost was estimated at $3.4 million, of which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was to pay 75%, the Emergency Management Division of Washington State 12.5%, and the City of Long Beach 12.5%.<ref>[http://www.longbeachwa.gov/project-safe-haven/ The Safe Haven Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Project(aka "The Berm Project")], City of Long Beach, Washington, Oct. 11, 2016.</ref> The project was abandoned in 2017 after new scientific reports indicated it was designed at least {{Convert|14.5|ft|m}} too short to withstand a worst-case tsunami.<ref>[https://www.dailyastorian.com/news/local/long-beach-abandons-4m-tsunami-shelter-project/article_ac7a2a56-6ed7-551a-9119-e9f7a89e0baa.html  Long Beach abandons $4M tsunami shelter project]</ref><ref>[http://depts.washington.edu/ptha/WA/LongBeachBerm_2018/Final_Report_LB_Berm.pdf Long Beach Berm Modeling Study - University of Washington Tsunami Modeling Group]</ref>