It's Tsunami Preparedness Week in California, and emergency services officials are reminding the community to be prepared in case a tsunami hits the Central Coast.
Officials say residents should check the Tsunami Hazard Maps and see if they live or work in a Tsunami Hazard Area.
They should also plan their evacuation routes and prepare a go bag which includes clothing, medications, and other items residents would need to live away from their house for 72 hours.
There are three Tsunami Alert Levels community members should be aware of, according to Scott Jalbert, San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services Director.
"The first one will be a Tsunami Watch, meaning that there will be a potential of a tsunami to happen," Jalbert explained. "The second one will be a Tsunami Advisory, meaning that we will receive some strong waves and we generally recommend folks to stay away from the beach and low-lying areas. The third one will be a Tsunami Warning, meaning we will see a tsunami."
The last time the Central Coast received a Tsunami Warning was in 2011 following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan.
According to CAL FIRE, roughly 1,800 people in San Luis Obispo County were evacuated from low-lying coastal communities.
Click here for more information about tsunami preparedness.
