Most of the UC Santa Barbara campus and surrounding areas should not be affected by a tsunami, except for the beach and lagoon areas. If you are in those areas, and you feel a strong earthquake, keep calm and quickly move to higher ground away from the coast. Do not use Hwy 217 to evacuate during a tsunami warning due to its low elevation.
Most tsunamis are formed by earthquakes that have occurred hundreds or even thousands of miles away, so several hours advanced warning will be provided to residents if these tsunamis will affect our coast. The exception to this is a strong local earthquake in the Santa Barbara Channel, which can generate a tsunami within minutes.
Witnesses have reported that an approaching tsunami is sometimes preceded by a noticeable fall or rise in the water level. If you see the ocean receding unusually rapidly, it’s a sign that a big wave is likely on its way. Go to high ground immediately.
