A front page article in today's LA Time discussed the lack of the system undergoing testing, but also pointed out an inherent problem. The tsunami warning you might receive will vary from a few seconds to many hours, depending upon your location with respect to the epicenter. in California, we had about twelve hours advance notice of the Fukashima event.

Palu was further disadvantaged in being situated along a narrow inlet, a configuration which accentuates the wave hieght of an incoming tsunami.

If you are on the coast, especially at low altitude, and you feel a quake, head for higher ground, if at all possible.

At 200 feet above sea level, I feel reasonably secure.