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December 2007 - Tsunami Data and Information at the National Geophysical Data Center.
The NESDIS National Geophysical Data Center and co-located World Data Center (NGDC / WDC) in Boulder, CO compiles data and information related to tsunamis world wide in partnership with the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program and the U.S. Geological Survey. NOAA requires seismic data; coastal and deep-ocean water level data; information on tsunami events and impacts (deaths, damages, maximum water level, and economic impact); imagery; and bathymetric, topographic and shoreline data for tsunami forecasting and coastal inundation modeling.
NGDC and the USGS collaborated to conduct a national tsunami hazard assessment. NGDC catalogs information on global historical tsunamis, and the USGS conducts research on earthquake hazards facing the US. The first step in assessing the tsunami hazard involved examining the historical record, using the past to gain clues as to what might happen in the future. NGDC also develops high resolution coastal digital elevation models (terrain relief above and below water level at the coast) to aid tsunami research in forecasting flood levels in the event of a tsunami. This also helps State emergency managers to plan evacuation routes and build community resilience.
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While tsunamis occur far more frequently than most of us are aware,
high-impact events that cause a considerable number of fatalities,
inflict major damage, and cause significant economic loss to large
sections of the U.S. coastlines are relatively infrequent. Since 1900, over 200 tsunamis have affected U.S. coasts, causing more than 500 deaths. According to recent statistics 53% of the U.S. population live in coastal communities and contribute 60% of the U.S. GDP.
For more information on Tsunamis, please visit the NOAA Tsunami page, the NOAAWatch Tsunami theme page, or NGDC's Tsunami Data and Information site.
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