Tsunami preparedness in Hampton Roads

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - With tsunami waves causing surges along the west coast, WAVY.com set out to find how a tsunami forms and if Hampton Roads is ready to respond if one were to happen here.

If you've ever sat on the shore and watched waves break, you've seen how a tsunami works on a smaller scale.

A display at the Virginia Aquarium shows how waves in general form. The more energy moving through the water, the higher the waves, and an earthquake generates a lot of energy.

"The shoreline is where all the damage comes because that's where the wave breaks," _______ said.

Signs in Oceanview declare Norfolk is ready.

"There are plans in place that we could evacuate folks just as we do a hurricane," said James Rogers with Norfolk Emergency Preparedness.

The mermaid city was the first on the east coast to earn the federal designation in 2006.

But unlike in Hawaii, you won't hear warning sirens in Hampton Roads.

Emergency managers said it's just not cost efficient based on the small risk.

The amount of devastation depends on the shape of the shore, and in the Pacific, the water gets shallow very quickly.

"On the east coast here, we're more protected. We have the continental shelf which is the bottom of the ocean being shallow for many miles," said ______.

In the event of a tsunami warning here, you would hear warnings on television and radio via the emergency broadcast system and reverse 911 calls.

In Norfolk, you can also sign up to get text messages on your phone. Visit the City of Norfolk's website to sign up.