text: More than 100,000 people on the coast of the Pacific Northwest are in the path of a potentially deadly tsunami that could be similar to the one in 2011 that ravaged parts of Japan. The new study highlights the areas in Washington, Oregon and California that would require more time to successfully evacuate for higher ground in the case of the next natural disaster. It calculated that 94,872 residents and 42,424 employees live within the tsunami hazard zones of the three states. Also in danger are 486 public venues, 440 dependent care facilities and 2,314 businesses with a 'significant customer presence'. Scroll down for video . A tsunami evacuation route sign  in Nehalem, Oregon, just one of the Pacific Northwest communities in the path of a potentially deadly tsunami that could be similar to the one in 2011 that ravaged parts of Japan . Seventy-seven percent of the communities lying in the risk zone are equipped with the kind of geography and location to allow them the 15 to 25 minutes required for successful tsunami evacuation after a large-magnitude earthquake hits. And some communities can increase their chance of survival simply by walking faster. According to the analysis, 21,562 residents, more than 50 percent of which live in Washington, would not have time to evade the tsunami's waves if they were walking on foot at 2.2 mph. But if they adjusted their pace to 3.5 mph, the number of people at risk drops below 16,000. And 90 per cent of the 20,000 people who live in the two communities most at-risk, Aberdeen and Hoquiam in Washington,  could reach safety by just walking at a normal pace. 'Just by getting people to move faster, you can save thousands of lives,' Nathan Woods, US Geological Survey geographer and lead author of the study, told the Seattle Times. Wood said these communities would most benefit by making sure residents have studied the best tsunami evacuation routes. But there are the coastal towns who wouldn't have the time to evacuate on foot, no matter how fast they walk or run, according to the analysis, conducted by the US Geological Survey, the University of Colorado, Boulder and California State University, Sacramento. This graph ranks the chances of the 73 communities considered to be in the tsunami danger zone for a successful evacuation. The third class is considered 'unlikely to have successful evacuations' Washington communities Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County, Pacific County and Long Beach, as well as Oregon town Seaside, are listed as 'unlikely to have successful evacuations'. According to Wood, these specific communities need to instead work toward designing and constructing tsunami evacuation structures so that reaching higher ground isn't necessary. But the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, warns that successful evacuations are not guaranteed for any community - no matter where its located. 'Individuals still need to understand the threat, recognize signs of imminent waves and take self-protective action,' it concludes. Wood told CBS News that any community on the coast of the Pacific Northwest was 'vulnerable to varying degrees' to a tsunami. 'Having a better sense of how a community is specifically vulnerable provides officials with the ability to develop outreach, preparedness, and evacuation plans that are tailored to local conditions and needs.'
target: Also in danger are over 400 public venues and dependent care facilities .
  Study estimates 77% of communities have the 15-25 minutes required to evacuate safely after an earthquake hits .
  Some communities in Washington, the most at-risk state, could increase chance of survival simply by walking faster .
  But certain communities along the coast are too far from high ground for a safe evacuation - no matter how fast they walk .
  They will need to build special evacuation structures instead .