23 January 2018, Mw 7.9, Alaska Earthquake & Tsunami

In the middle of the night, a powerful 7.9 earthquake in Alaska areas sent coastal Alaskans to higher ground in the middle of the night after a cellphone alert warned a tsunami could hit communities along the state's southern coast. Sirens could be heard telling citizens to head to high ground now. Cars packed the roadways to get to high ground where shelters were available. Fortunately, The state has an active tsunami-readiness program, and many communities have sirens and evacuation plans.

Elsewhere in the United States, Washington State, Oregon, California and Hawaii were under tsunami watches, which eventually were lifted. Officials in Japan say there was no tsunami threat there.

It's a reminder of the importance of an effective End-to-End Tsunami Warning System. It involves a number of stakeholders who must be able to work in coordination and have an understanding of each other's roles, responsibilities, authorities, and actions during a tsunami event. Planning and preparedness, and practicing in advance of the real event, helps to familiarize agencies and their staff with the steps and decision-making that need to be carried out without hesitation in a real emergency. Tsunami resilience is built upon a community's preparedness in tsunami knowledge, planning, warning, and awareness.