Tsunamis are among the world’s most devastating and unpredictable hazards, affecting coastlines across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. Unlike floods, tsunamis can be caused by distant earthquakes, submarine landslides, or volcanic eruptions, so there’s little or no warning before one strikes. If you live, travel, or own property in a coastal zone, you need to understand your tsunami risk and evacuation routes. The tsunami risk tools presented below will help you find authoritative tsunami hazard and evacuation maps for every major risk region.
Always use the latest official advice and mapping for evacuation planning. Maps may be updated following major earthquakes or improvements in scientific understanding, so check official sites often.
Updated June 9, 2026: Following the magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake near the southern Philippines on June 8, which triggered tsunami warnings across the western Pacific, we’ve added hazard tools for the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan. If you live in or travel to a coastal zone on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” this quake is a good reminder to know your risk and find your evacuation zone.
If You Feel a Strong or Long Earthquake Near the Coast, Don’t Wait for an Official Warning
A nearby tsunami can arrive in minutes, sometimes before an official warning. Treat the earthquake itself as your warning. Watch for these natural signs:
- Strong or long shaking, meaning if it’s hard to stand, or shaking lasts 20 seconds or more
- The ocean suddenly pulling back, exposing the seabed
- A loud roar from the ocean, like a train or jet
If you notice any of these, move immediately to high ground or as far inland as you can, on foot if roads are jammed. Don’t return until officials say it’s safe, because later waves can be larger than the first.
Where to get real-time alerts: Register for your country’s national alert system and follow the real-time sources in the table below. In the U.S., sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts (automatic on most phones), NOAA Weather Radio, and local sirens
Tsunami Risk Tools
This table summarizes leading government, global, and commercial tsunami risk/evacuation mapping tools. Table content and all links are verified as of June 9, 2026. The table is updated quarterly for accuracy. If you find a broken link or a tsunami hazard or evacuation tool for your country or area that is not shown, please let us know. Your input helps keep our global audience prepared and resilient.| Country/Region | Tool Name & URL | Provider/Type | Coverage/Scope | Description/Notes | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global/Real-time | Pacific Tsunami Warning Center | Intergov/Alert | Pacific & global | Real-time maps, current alerts, events for all Pacific & worldwide monitoring | English |
| Global/Real-time or near real-time | USGS Magnitude 2.5+ Earthquakes, Past Day | USGov/USGS | Global | List and maps of USGS Magnitude 2.5+ Earthquakes, Past Day | English |
| Global | UNESCO-IOC/NOAA ITIC Global & Regional Tsunami Hazard Maps | Intergov/Science | Global, by region | Historical/modeled tsunami sources, regional maps/posters | English, Spanish |
| Global | NOAA NCEI Tsunami Travel Time Maps | USGov/Science | Global coastlines | Shows wave arrival times from epicenters; search global map archive | English |
| Global | NOAA TsuCAT Tsunami Coastal Assessment Tool | USGov/Model | Global (ocean basins) | Scenario database/software for risk and impact by location | English |
| Caribbean | Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program / ITIC-Caribbean Office | USGov (NOAA/NWS) | Caribbean basin & adjacent coasts | Preparedness, evacuation-map links, and TsunamiReady resources for Caribbean nations, states & territories | English, Spanish, French |
| Chile | SHOA Tsunami Inundation Maps/Warnings (Chile) | Navy/Gov (SHOA) | National (Chile coast) | Official government tsunami inundation maps, hazards, and warnings | Spanish |
| Chile (global) | ThinkHazard! Chile: Tsunami | World Bank/NGO | Country | Regional summary hazard; links official resources | English, Spanish |
| Commercial/Science | AIR Worldwide/RMS/JBA Catastrophe Tsunami Models | Commercial | Global/Specialist | Used for insurance & risk analytics, commercial/industry access | English |
| Indonesia/Real-time | InaTEWS – BMKG | National Gov (BMKG) | National + Indian Ocean | Real-time earthquake and tsunami early-warning bulletins; Indian Ocean Tsunami Service Provider | Indonesian, English |
| Indonesia | InaRISK – BNPB | National Gov (BNBP) | National | Interactive multi-hazard risk maps including tsunami, by region | Indonesian |
| Japan | J-THIS (Japan Tsunami Hazard Information Station) | National Gov/NIED | National | Probabilistic tsunami hazard map, max heights/risks, highly detailed, Japanese/English UI | Japanese, English |
| Japan (more maps) | MLIT Disaster Portal: Hazard Maps by Municipality | Gov (MLIT/GSI) | National, local | All local tsunami/flood/quake hazard maps by area; browse by city/ward | Japanese, English |
| New Zealand | NZ Civil Defence National Tsunami Evacuation Map | NZGov | National | National, regional tsunami evacuation map; search by address | English, Māori |
| New Zealand | GNS Science: NZ National Tsunami Hazard Model | GNS Govt/Science | National (hazard modeling) | Maximum expected coastal height, model datasets, risk curves | English |
| Philippines | HazardHunterPH (GeoRiskPH) | Gov (DOST-PHIVOLCS | National, by location | Search any address for tsunami, earthquake, volcanic and other hazards; downloadable maps | English |
| Philippines | PHIVOLCS Hazard GIS Maps | Gov (DOST-PHIVOLCS) | National | Downloadable tsunami-prone area and hazard maps by province/municipality | English |
| Taiwan | CWA Tsunami Information | National Gov (CWA) | National (Taiwan coast) | Official tsunami advisories, warnings, and monitoring | Chinese, English |
| U.S. (National) | NOAA/NTHMP Tsunami Maps by State | Federal/State Gov | All US coastal states | Inundation/evacuation/response maps with links to each state | English |
| U.S. (WA/OR/CA/HI) | NOAA TsunamiZone Evacuation Map | USGov/Interactive | Pacific, HI, US islands | Evacuation & inundation zones, zoomable by address | English |
| U.S. (WA) | NANOOS Tsunami Evacuation Maps | Consort./Gov | WA (Cascadia/Pac NW) | Local/distant evacuation zones for community and travel | English |
Guidance for Tsunami-Prone Countries Not Listed
Most tsunami-prone developed nations provide detailed public mapping tools. For countries or territories not listed here, start your search with “[country name] tsunami hazard map” or “[country] tsunami evacuation zones.” Additionally, the UNESCO-IOC/NOAA ITIC Global Portal and your national or local civil protection authority are strong starting points.