Florida County Works Toward Being ‘Tsunami Ready’

Central Florida isn’t likely to be hit by a tsunami, but officials there want to be ready, just in case.

Brevard County’s emergency managers are working with the National Weather Service to be one of the first “tsunami-ready” counties in Florida.

Emergency Management Director Kimberly Prosser tells Florida Today that Brevard County wants to be as ready for tsunamis as it is for hurricanes and wildfires. Officials will establish protocols to follow when tsunami warnings are issued and designate evacuation routes.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne says the most likely trigger for a tsunami along Brevard County would be an earthquake in Portugal or Puerto Rico.

“Rogue waves” also are potential threats. That happened in 1992 when a 10-foot-high, 27-mile-long wave crashed into Daytona Beach, injuring 75 people.