The Tsunami in the Scrolls

By studying the rings of a long-dead coastal forest and cross-referencing ancient samurai scrolls, a Japanese-American scientist uncovered the first written record of a massive tsunami that struck the Pacific Northwest hundreds of years ago. His research not only pinpointed the exact date of this forgotten disaster, it revealed what the future may hold.

This short for PBS follows his journey from historical detective work to modern-day disaster preparedness. Alongside NOAA scientists and emergency planners, I explored what will happen when the Cascadia Fault next gives way, a seismic event that could rival the world’s worst natural disasters. With entire coastal communities at risk, Washington State is racing to build tsunami-proof evacuation towers in a race against time.