Hi All. A couple of nights ago I watched a program on the idiot machine about tsunamis. It was on “The learning channel.” The name of the show was “Storm Force Tsunami.”

There wasn’t much in the way of additional information about the tsunami that was supposed to have hit the coastal area of Santa Barbara in 1812, however there were some very good indications that it did and can go it again.

According to Costas Synolakis from the University of Southern California as well as others the entire coast of Southern California faces a tsunami danger, which could claim, more lives then all of the large quakes in Southern California combined.

Jose Borrero, a graduate student who is part of the Tsunami Research Group, used a numerical computer model to simulate the tsunamis.

He said the worst tsunami for San Diego County would occur if an earthquake triggered a landslide. A nearby earthquake probably couldn't create the vertical motion that makes a huge wave without an accompanying landslide because the faults between plates in the Earth's crust off the coast of the county are horizontal, where two plates scrape along each other, and not vertical, where plates are moving toward each other.

Yes, structures are threatened

Borrero said the case of the underwater landslide could create a wave up to 40 feet tall at any given place in any given time. He said the effects would be extremely localized.

"One thing that San Diego County has on the positive side is a large region of sea cliffs, especially in Del Mar," Borrero said. "Where sea cliffs are, that's good. Where lagoons are, that's bad, and harbors are bad, too."

A locally generated tsunami might catch people in low-lying coastal areas off-guard, as well as destroy piers and other buildings along the coast.

"You have no time to do an evacuation," said Richard Eisner, director of the coastal region for the Office of Emergency Services. "People just need to respond. If you feel the ground shake and the shaking lasts more than 10 to 15 seconds, you ought to immediately move to high ground."

The Tsunami Research Group at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, working with state and federal officials, is mapping the potential destructive reach of the monstrous waves, which typically are spawned by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides.

Last but not least. Yes Petra. The Bay Area is included in the mapping project. San Francisco / San Mateo Counties (Golden Gate through San Mateo -- Roughly 37° 45' N to 37° 15' N). There is also a potential for the Monterey Bay area, but not to the same extent as Southern California. Take Care…Don in creepy town

• Tsunami Danger