A reader* asks: “In the event of a tsunami in Boston, where is the safest place to drive?”

What an odd question! It’s true the risk is not zero (see “Study: Boston, New England at Greatest Tsunami Risk in US“), but it’s very low.

Still, the answer on how/where to evacuate to would depend on how much time you have before the tsunami hits.

if you have meaningful advance notice, which is not uncommon with tsunami warnings, your best bet would be to head west or north-west of the city, towards higher ground. In particular, I-93 North might offer the swiftest route to seriously high ground, depending on what elevation you need. The Massachusetts turnpike also offers significant elevation after a relatively small number of miles heading west. Routes 2 and 3, although not superhighways, are other good options. If the roads are packed, pick any road that heads west or northwest.

The worst you could do would be to take any of the roads that hug the coast, such as I-95 or Route 1.

If you only have minutes of advance notice, don’t bother trying to get in your car. Just find a very sturdy, tall structure and get to the highest floor you can. Above-ground parking garages can be particularly good, because the open design allows the rising, moving floodwaters to pass through the building, rather than delivering full force against solid walls.

But, back to the oddness: Although New England has some seismic activity, it’s usually mild. The largest threat of a major tsunami here is a very low-order probability of a mountain collapse in the Canary Islands. This theory got some traction a few years back, but now is not considered anything to worry about.

Flooding from storm surges during hurricanes and major storms is a much greater threat, but usually is a problem only along the immediate coast and up coastal riverways. Stay away from those, and you’ll be fine.

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