You have taken a job in Boston, Massachusetts, a large ...

[leilurhhh]

You have taken a job in Boston, Massachusetts, a large metropolitan city at a fairly high northern latitude. The metropolitan area surrounding a wide, deep harbor facing northeast.
 
  Describe what you should think about in terms of tsunami danger. Discuss the danger in terms of likelihood, strength, and comparison to other hazards you will experience in this area.
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Cowells Cove is a beach in Santa Cruz, California noted for good surfing. The Santa Cruz coastal area is in the form of a broad (5 km) short (1.5 km) bay, facing south.
 
  On the west side of the beach is a long (1 km) raised peninsula with a steep rocky cliff edge. The top is about 5 m above the water level. Behind the peninsula, the ground rises in a neighborhood of twisty, one-lane streets to a level 15 m above sea level. The nearest stairway is about 100 m away. To the east, the beach is flat leading to a popular tourist boardwalk. Your car is parked behind the boardwalk about 200 m away. Behind this area a straight two-lane road goes through the downtown area for about 5 km before reaching Highway 101 and hilly country.
 
  The sea is calm and flat except for a regular line of clean surf breaks surf breaks about 1 m high along the peninsula. You feel a slight jolt. Some rocks tumble from the cliffs, and you can hear car horns honking at areas along the beachfront. After looking around for a few minutes, you notice that the edge of the water is receding quickly, and hear sirens from emergency vehicles in some directions.
 
  Assume that you are physically fit, and that your car is in good working order. What do you do? Explain your reasoning.
  What will be an ideal response?

[morrie123456]

Answer to Question 1

ANSWER: There is relatively little chance for a tsunami in this area, unless a catastrophic landslide in the Canary Islands due to collapse of the Tenerife Volcanos flank occurs. An event like this is extremely unlikely, but possible.

Boston would be a dangerous place to be in a tsunami. The harbor would increase the effects of the wave, and evacuation would be very difficult.

Boston is pretty far north. The danger of winter weather is much, much more important than tsunami danger. Windstorms and hurricanes can reach that far north, so they would be more important to think about also.

Answer to Question 2

ANSWER: Here is a sample response:
I would want to get higher and further away from the coast immediately, because I think a tsunami is coming. It might be easier to get far away from the beach if I got my car, but that will take a while and there may be traffic on all of the streets. The boardwalk is bound to be crowded and traffic will be bad on that side, even if I have a straight road inland. I dont have time to drive. I aim to get above the waterline first, then worry about distance. I leave my stuff on the beach and run for the stairway on the cliff. Once Im at the top, I will run for the hill on that side of town. Once I get there, it would probably be a good idea to see if I can get to a high floor in a building or onto somebodys roof.

A successful answer will -
- identify the importance of gaining both height and distance.
- emphasize an immediate, speedy response, e.g. running, leaving possessions behind, choosing the quickest route.
- must select foot travel at the west side of the beach as the best immediate escape route due to the height and location and other complications
- must include travel beyond the cliff to maximize safety

Creative responses that involve illegal activity (e.g. stealing a bicycle, motorcycle, or emergency vehicle) should be graded on their avoidance of danger, not legality.

[leilurhhh]

Correct answers!

[morrie123456]

Great! Please up vote