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The Independent
25-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Warning America could face 1000ft ‘mega-tsunami'
A study warns of a potential 1,000-foot-tall "mega tsunami" that could devastate parts of America if a major earthquake hits the Cascadia subduction zone within the next 50 years. Alaska, Hawaii, and the West Coast are most at risk due to the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line stretching from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino, California. The Virginia Tech geoscientists' study estimates a 15 per cent chance of a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hitting the region in the next 50 years, potentially sinking coastal land by up to 6.5 feet and impacting cities like Seattle and Portland. Mega-tsunamis, characterized by extreme wave heights, differ from ordinary tsunamis and climate-driven events because they would occur rapidly, "within minutes," leaving no time for adaptation. The most severe effects are expected in southern Washington, northern Oregon, and northern California, with Alaska and Hawaii also vulnerable due to their seismic and volcanic profiles; the last major quake in the Cascadia subduction zone was in 1700.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
How a strong earthquake could put parts of US in the sea
Scientists are warning that a potential "mega- tsunami" up to 1,000 feet tall could devastate parts of the American West Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii. This could be triggered by a major earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line stretching from Vancouver Island to California. There is a 15 per cent chance of a magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquake hitting the region within the next 50 years, according to a study. Such an earthquake could also cause coastal land to sink by up to 6.5 feet, exacerbating the tsunami's impact. Cities like Seattle and Portland are particularly vulnerable, and the event would occur rapidly, leaving little time for response, experts say.
