Long-time residents of Crescent City, Calif. must feel today like their city is a tsunami magnet. Smacked by one in 1960 and another in 1964, the town was hit again today by the tsunami that originated near Japan. From a nearby local newspaper’s reporttoday:

*** Two docks were torn apart and numerous boats were broken loose when a tsunami surge hit the Crescent City Harbor around 3 p.m. Debbie McAndrews of the harbor said the surge wasn’t waves, but appeared to look like a “rolling river.” ***

On March 27, 1964, the Alaskan Good Friday earthquake spawned a tsunami that killed more than 120 people in all. Ten of the deaths occurred in Crescent City, which saw waves as high as 20 feet (6.3 meters). The water surged up to a half-mile inland in spots.

But a megatsunami, from a 9.0 earthquake off the California Coast, will be much worse. Scientists say it’s just a matter of time. Check out this map of the predicted run-up compared to that of ‘64, done by geologists at Humboldt State University.

Residents of Crescent City: Know your escape route!