Cape Canaveral Earns TsunamiReady Certification

Cape Canaveral received official TsunamiReady certification from the National Weather Service on May 19 at a City Council meeting, becoming the sixth Florida entity to achieve the designation.

The voluntary certification lowers flood insurance premiums for residents through the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System and strengthens the city's preparedness for tsunamis, which occur when sudden ocean displacement—typically from undersea earthquakes, volcanoes, or landslides—generates waves.

While rare in the Atlantic, tsunamis can strike without warning at any time. A 6.0 magnitude earthquake near Barbuda on May 16 demonstrated the regional risk, though it did not produce a tsunami. Warning times range from one to twelve hours depending on the wave's origin.

If the National Tsunami Warning Center issues a Tsunami Warning, residents and visitors should leave beaches immediately, move west of Ridgewood Avenue, or go to the second floor of a sturdy building. Boaters should head to open ocean, where tsunamis measure only inches tall.

Atlantic tsunamis tend to be smaller than Pacific ones. Cape Canaveral's dune system and ocean floor topography would reduce impacts significantly. Scientists' modeling shows waves exceeding 10 feet would struggle to reach State Road A1A, with the greatest risk within 600 feet of the dune line.

A tsunami does not appear as a single giant wave. The ocean recedes farther than normal, followed by a continuous surge of water rising through parking lots, streets, and low-lying beach areas. Additional waves may occur over several hours. Residents should not return to the beach until authorities issue an all-clear.

Meteotsunamis, triggered by air-pressure disturbances from fast-moving weather, pose another threat. A meteotsunami struck Daytona Beach in July 1992, reaching over 10 feet above normal high tide and injuring 75 people.

Members of the City Emergency Operations Team participated in the 2025 Atlantic Tsunami Exercise on November 18 at the Brevard County Emergency Operations Center.