REGIONAL TSUNAMI HAZARD ASSESSMENT FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF PORT ALEXANDER, CRAIG, AND KETCHIKAN IN SOUTHEAST, ALASKA.

We assess potential tsunami hazard for three coastal communities in Southeast Alaska: Port Alexander, Craig, and Ketchikan. The primary tsunami hazard for these communities is considered to be far-field, with the major threat originating from tsunamigenic earthquakes along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone across the Gulf of Alaska. We numerically model tsunami waves generated by four different megathrust earthquakes and develop approximate tsunami hazard maps for the three communities. The hypothetical tsunami scenarios that we examined include variations of an extended 1964 rupture, megathrust earthquakes in the Prince William Sound and Alaska Peninsula regions, and a Cascadia megathrust earthquake. The maximum runup heights are 4 m (13.1 ft) in Port Alexander, 3.2 m (10.5 ft) in Craig, and 1 m (3.3 ft) in Ketchikan. Results presented here are intended to provide guidance to local emergency management agencies in initial tsunami inundation assessment, evacuation planning, and public education for mitigation of future tsunami hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]