I live 5 minutes north of Seattle, and I'm about 300-400 feet above sea level. In most places, tsunami damage in the Seattle area would be limited to the immediate waterfront areas; most of Seattle would be protected by hills, and fairly steep ones at that. But a 9.0 earthquake in and of itself would cause major damage, tsanami or not.
Guy builds a home in the low lands and it gets flooded.
Builds his next home halfway up the mountain and a landslide demolishes it.
Third home on the Mt. top is hit by lightening and burns.
Guy turns to heaven and pleads " Why Me Lord, Why ME?"
Booming voice from heaven.... "I don't know, there is just something about you I can't stand"
I lived on the top of Lord Hill just south of Snohomishfor about 5 years. We were 500 feet high -- got snow first and it melted last. A Tsunami would never reach us, although flooding on the Snohomish River from the back wash probably would cut us off from town.