Now Boarding, Flight 53 From Dock 10 ...

The California Emergency Management Agency has released maps detailing the effect on the California coastline of tsunamis generated by most conceivable earthquakes off the western shore of North America. Some communities could suffer substantial damage. Much of San Francisco's Marina district could be under water, as would be most of low-lying Alameda and the eastern approach to the Bay Bridge, several marinas in San Diego, and parts of Marina Del Rey. UCSB's lagoon could be swamped, and we could lose one of our favorite eateries, the Beachside Cafe on Goleta Beach, which would be well within the projected tsunami zone.

Faring particularly poorly are some airports, which often lie on low ground near water. San Francisco International could lose some taxiways, which would impact its capacity (considering a single low cloud will cause 45 minute delays on a daily basis, any limit on the airport's ability to handle traffic would inevitably have an immediate and significant effect). Santa Barbara's airport, situated alongside a slough, would be wiped out. Oakland's airport would not be able to pick up San Francisco's excess traffic, because it, too, would be under water.

These maps are only estimates of one worst-case scenario. In this state, it is only a matter of time until someone latches onto these projections to justify some obnoxious building code or restriction on land use. (The San Francisco Chronicle article describing the maps makes no notice of the fact that the maps describe a possible outcome of all tsunami events at once.) Still, the information is potentially sobering. Especially if you left your car in long term parking at the Oakland Airport.