New Sirens Will Warn of Tsunami Threats

Nearly four dozen sirens have arrived in Humboldt County as part of a warning system for earthquake-generated waves along the north coast.

Some of the 47 sirens will be placed along tsunami-prone areas and tied into a system that emergency officials are just beginning to create.

In the event of a distant earthquake that causes a huge wave to sweep toward the California coast, an alert would be issued and the sirens activated, though some experts say it would do little good if a major earthquake occurred locally.

A tsunami would be heading toward shore within minutes in the event of a strong local temblor, some earthquake experts agree.