Cascadia Quake: Tsunami Pods Are Like 'Fire Extinguishers' For Coastal Residents

GRAYS HARBOR, WA - The entire Pacific Northwest is on guard for the inevitable Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. And although the interior Puget Sound area will be damaged heavily when the big one hits, there's less chance of a catastrophic tsunami, like the one seen in Japan in March 2011. When the Cascadia quake happens, residents along the Pacific Coast will have about 20 minutes to get to higher ground to avoid a potentially 100-foot high wall of ocean water.

Rather than risk worrying about evacuating in the event of a tsunami, some residents of Washington's Pacific coast are turning to technology. People are buying tsunami pods, which are large globes made of airplane-grade aluminum that are supposed to be strong enough to withstand the force of a tsunami. The manufacturer of the pods - which are popular in Japan - describes them as like fire extinguishers: a safety device that everyone should have.

The Associated Press traveled to Washington's Pacific coast to explore why people are buying tsunami pods, and if it's a reasonable solution to a very real problem. Watch the report here:

Image via Associated Press