Imagine hundreds of miles per hour as a wall of water, up to a third of a mile high, roars across the ocean. It is nearly impossible to comprehend the magnitude of a mega-tsunami’s destructive power.
Mega-tsunamis, as opposed to ordinary tsunamis brought on by earthquakes, are frequently brought on by massive landslides or erupting volcanoes.
Because of their closeness to landslide-prone areas, earthquake zones, and unstable volcanoes, three US regions—Alaska, Hawaii, and the West Coast—are at risk of mega-tsunamis.
Scientists continue to analyse the traces left by a mile-high mega-tsunami that was caused by an asteroid strike millions of years ago during the dinosaur era.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma is one terrifying possibility that might collapse into the Atlantic today and unleash a mega-tsunami towards the US East Coast.
The Netflix series ‘La Palma’ vividly depicts this situation, with a family on vacation while scientists find evidence of a volcanic explosion that can cause a devastating tsunami.
Source: Pixabay
This concept originates from a 2001 study by Dr. Simon Day and Steven Ward, who cautioned that a collapse of the west flank of Cumbre Vieja may cause a huge wave to form by dropping up to 120 cubic miles of rock into the sea.
According to their analysis, this wave might harm coastal communities by starting at 2,000 feet high close to the volcano and reaching up to 150 feet when it strikes the Americas.
