tsunamis/ tidal waves!!!!!!?

Southern California should be fairly safe from Tsunamis, but there's always a possibility.

At what elevation do you live? Earthquake generated waves have a practical limit somewhere under 50 feet, so if you live higher than that you're safe.

A second point is that not all earthquakes cause Tsunamis. The type of fault in California will have a north/south movement that won't cause much disturbance in the water.

The type of earthquake that causes the big waves is an underwater fault where the opposing blocks of rock move up and down.

The bad news is that there's a fault like that up around Washington state and it hasn't ruptured in a while.

The kinda good news about that is that a wave caused by that fault would radiate away from California and by the time it got to your area it would be very low and you'd have lots of warning.

So it's best to worry about other things that might harm you -- like getting hit by a meteorite.

It could happen ;)

Bad things happen to nice people -- it helps to be informed. . I would check with the local geology department / government office to see if there is an offshore fault. I KNOW there is in the far Northwest of the USA -- the Cascadia fault.

If yes (which I doubt) plan an escape route if an earthquake hits. If not, make sure your home is reasonably earthquake resistant. The quakes on land are pretty bad too.

Being California, also make sure you are not vulnerable to landslides and mudslides and have a plan for wildfires.

Sorry to be an old poop -- being ready does not cause things to happen. THEN if you are still anxious, I'd suggest counseling to find perhaps the underlying source of your anxiety.

Also, enjoy the beautiful place you live in. I'm freezing my axx in Indiana right now!

You are correct to be worried. There is a fault off shore of Cal. right up to alaska and it is overdue to slip. The last time it did about 300 years ago it sent a tsunamai right in amongst the Canadian Vancouver islands, and right across the Pacific to Japan and Australia. Any waves hitting the North American shore are likely to be at least 50 feet high, and there will be no more than 10 minutes warning.

As OINK points out it is the cascadia fault, and I am sure it extends down to Southern Cal.

If you're in Southern California, I wouldn't worry about a Tsunami... Your faults (not your personal faults, but your geographic ones!!), are all inland... That means that if you have an earthquake, it will most likely cause a lot of shaking but won't throw the ocean up on the coast...