Brookings in Curry County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

March 11, 2011 Tsunami

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 18, 2018

1. March 11, 2011 Tsunami Marker

Inscription. On March 10, 2011 at 9:54pm (Pacific Standard Time), a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan creating a major tsunami event for the entire Pacific Ocean, including the West Coast of North America. Approximately nine hours later at 7am on March 11th the first of many tsunami surges struck the Port of Brookings-Harbor causing massive damage to boats and the harbor's infrastructure, the dangerous surges continued for over 24 hours. Six boats were sunk and over 7 million dollars of damage resulted. This tsunami event caused the greatest destruction ever recorded to the Port of Brookings-Harbor.

Erected by Ford Institute Leadership Class Project.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is March 10, 2011.

Location. 42° 3.074′ N, 124° 16.101′ W. Marker is in Brookings, Oregon, in Curry County. It can be reached from Lower Harbor Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 16350 Lower Harbor Rd, Brookings OR 97415, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker

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is in Southern Oregon

and specifically on the Oregon Coast.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain.

Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Chetco Memorial — Chit-xu Village Site (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); History of the Chetco People (about 600 feet away); The Japanese Attack on Oregon (approx. 0.4 miles away); Memorial (approx. 10.8 miles away).

More about this marker. Marker is located along a boardwalk at Brookings-Harbor

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 18, 2018

2. March 11, 2011 Tsunami Marker

What Happened Here?
March 11, 2011
This chart shows the wave height propagation of the tsunami across the entire North Pacific Ocean caused by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off Japan on March 11th, 2011. The different colors represent different wave heights. Note the red finger reaching out toward the Pacific Northwest. Underwater topography played a major role in determining the direction and height of the surges throughout the Pacific Ocean.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 18, 2018

3. March 11, 2011 Tsunami Marker

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 18, 2018

4. March 11, 2011 Tsunami Marker

Brookings-Harbor image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 18, 2018

5. Brookings-Harbor

Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 6, 2019, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 481 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 6, 2019, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.