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Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists issue chilling warning over 'doomsday tsunami' likely to hit parts of the U.S. by 2100
A doomsday tsunami is likely to strike the US in the near future, according to new research led by researchers at Virginia Tech. The study, published in the Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, found that a devastating earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) in America's Pacific Northwest is almost assured to take place by 2100, with a 37 per cent chance it'll happen at any point in the next 50 years. If an earthquake between 8.0 and 9.0 in magnitude struck today, scientists warn that a 100-foot mega tsunami would wipe out most of the West Coast, as the coastline would drop by almost eight feet instantaneously. Doomsday: Scientists say a tsunami could hit U.S. as massive earthquake is due by 2100 (pictured: aftermath of the 9.0 quake that struck Japan in 2011) The CSZ is a nearly 700-mile-long fault line off the west coast of North America where one tectonic plate, the Juan de Fuca Plate slides beneath another, the North American Plate. It stretches from northern Vancouver Island in Canada to the southern half of the US West Coast, running along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimated that there would be 5,800 deaths from a CSZ earthquake alone and another 8,000 due to the mega tsunami it would unleash. Professor Tina Dura, the lead author of the study, said: 'This is going to be a very catastrophic event for the US, for sure. The tsunami is going to come in, and it's going to be devastating.' Danger zone: The Cascadia zone, which sits under Washington, Oregon, and northern California, is said to be 'overdue' for another major earthquake. The last one struck in 1700 By 2100, climate change is predicted to raise sea levels by as much as two feet. If the Cascadia Subduction Zone doesn't suffer another mega earthquake until then, it will likely amplify the devastation and flooding beyond the damage expected in 2025. The 2022 emergency report from FEMA projected that there would be more than 100,000 people injured and over 618,000 buildings damaged or destroyed during the next major CSZ earthquake. That damage would include more than 2,000 schools and 100 critical facilities along the West Coast, costing the country more than $134billion. Disastrous: If the CSZ ruptured, it could cause a magnitude-9 earthquake throughout the region. The darker areas mark the areas that would receive the most damage, extending inland, where the devastation would be more moderate The new study also predicted that the West Coast would be reshaped for centuries. The earthquake and mega tsunami would radically expand 100-year floodplains in Washington, Oregon, and California by as much as 115 square miles. Floodplains are areas expected to suffer historic flooding at least once every 100 years. If those regions suddenly expanded by more than 100 miles, more homes, roads, and local infrastructure would fall into dangerous flood zones. However, in the worst-case scenarios where subsidence (sinking of the ground) is at its highest, the researchers estimated that their flood zone predictions could more than double. 'After the tsunami comes and eventually recedes, the land is going to persist at lower levels,' Dura told BBC Science Focus. 'That floodplain footprint is going to be altered for decades or even centuries.' The Cascadia Subduction Zone is becoming a major area of concern now because of the growing amount of time that's passed since its last major seismic event. The last major earthquake struck on January 26, 1700. Historians and scientists estimate that it was a magnitude 9.0 earthquake which unleashed a mega tsunami that destroyed the village of Pachena Bay in British Columbia. Records of the event show that waves up to 100 feet high struck just 30 minutes after the quake, leaving no survivors. Scientists have estimated that the CSZ builds up into a major earthquake every 400 to 600 years, meaning it's already been 325 years since the last cataclysmic event. 'You can imagine, during the next earthquake, when the land drops down, you're going to suddenly have to contend with multiple centuries of equivalent sea level rise in minutes,' Dura warned.
Metro
10-07-2025
- Science
- Metro
'Doomsday' 100-foot mega tsunami likely to hit the US at any moment
Scientists are warning that a 100-foot, Doomsday-style mega tsunami is primed to hit the US West Coast at any moment – and likely within 50 years. On top of that, experts say that the sooner the tsunami hits, the better. The natural disaster threat stems from the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which is a nearly 700-mile fault line from northern California to British Columbia, that has not had much movement in 300 years. That means that the zone is due for a major earthquake, and its effects are predicted to be worse as time goes on. 'By 2100, when climate-driven sea-level rise will compound the hazard, a great earthquake could expand floodplains… more than tripling the flooding exposure of residents, structures, and roads under the high subsidence scenario compared to the 2023 floodplain,' states a recent article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. There is a 37% chance of a quake in the Pacific Northwest happening in the next half-century, and one is almost guaranteed to hit by 2100, according to the study published in April. 'This is going to be a very catastrophic event for the US, for sure,' the study's lead author, Tina Dura, told BBC Science Focus. 'The tsunami is going to come in, and it's going to be devastating.' A quake of magnitude 8.0 to 9.0 could create a 100-foot tsunami capable of crushing eight feet of the coastline and wiping out much of the West Coast. 'After the tsunami comes and eventually recedes, the land is going to persist at lower levels,' Dura said. 'That floodplain footprint is going to be altered for decades or even centuries.' More Trending Such a quake could cause 5,800 deaths, and the resulting tsunami could claim another 8,000 lives, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the nation's agency helping people before, during and after disasters. The coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, up to northern Vancouver Island in Canada, are under the threat. The last massive earthquake, magnitude 9.0, hit in January 1700 and spurred a tsunami that took out the village of Pachena Bay in British Columbia. 'This study underscores the need to consider combined earthquake and climate impacts in planning for coastal resilience at the Cascadia subduction zone and globally,' states the article. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Woman bombarded with hundreds of Amazon packages she never ordered MORE: Urgent recall of Ritz crackers over 'life-threatening' health risk MORE: Mystery after missing paddleboarder's body found in 'unusual' position on secluded lake
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists warn 'doomsday tsunami' likely to strike US
A doomsday tsunami is likely to strike the US in the near future, but scientists say it's better if it hits sooner rather than later. A new study has found that a colossal earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) in America's Pacific Northwest is almost assured to take place by 2100, with a 37 percent chance it'll happen at any point in the next 50 years. The CSZ is a nearly 700-mile-long fault line off the west coast of North America where one tectonic plate, the Juan de Fuca Plate slides beneath another, the North American Plate. It stretches from northern Vancouver Island in Canada to the southern half of the US West Coast, running along the coasts of Washington, Oregon , and California . If an earthquake between 8.0 and 9.0 in magnitude struck today, scientists warn that a 100-foot mega tsunami would wipe out most of the West Coast, as the coastline would drop by almost eight feet instantaneously. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimated that there would be 5,800 deaths from a CSZ earthquake alone and another 8,000 due to the mega tsunami it would unleash. The international team, led by researchers at Virginia Tech, added that these dire predictions will only get worse as more time passes because of rising sea levels. Professor Tina Dura, the lead author of the study, said: 'This is going to be a very catastrophic event for the US, for sure. The tsunami is going to come in, and it's going to be devastating.' By 2100, climate change is predicted to raise sea levels by as much as two feet. If the Cascadia Subduction Zone doesn't suffer another mega earthquake until then, it will likely amplify the devastation and flooding beyond the damage expected in 2025. The 2022 emergency report from FEMA projected that there would be more than 100,000 people injured and over 618,000 buildings damaged or destroyed during the next major CSZ earthquake. That damage would include more than 2,000 schools and 100 critical facilities along the West Coast, costing the country more than $134 billion. The new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences also predicted that the West Coast would be reshaped for centuries. The earthquake and mega tsunami would radically expand 100-year floodplains in Washington, Oregon, and California by as much as 115 square miles. Floodplains are areas expected to suffer historic flooding at least once every 100 years. If those regions suddenly expanded by more than 100 miles, more homes, roads, and local infrastructure would fall into dangerous flood zones. However, in the worst-case scenarios where subsidence (sinking of the ground) is at its highest, the researchers estimated that their flood zone predictions could more than double. 'After the tsunami comes and eventually recedes, the land is going to persist at lower levels,' Dura told BBC Science Focus . 'That floodplain footprint is going to be altered for decades or even centuries.' The Cascadia Subduction Zone is becoming a major area of concern now because of the growing amount of time that's passed since its last major seismic event. The last major earthquake struck on January 26, 1700. Historians and scientists estimate that it was a magnitude 9.0 earthquake which unleashed a mega tsunami that destroyed the village of Pachena Bay in British Columbia. Records of the event show that waves up to 100 feet high struck just 30 minutes after the quake, leaving no survivors. The CSZ marks the boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate is sliding (subducting) under the North American Plate. However, this movement isn't smooth. The plates periodically get stuck together at the fault line which builds up stress over many years. That stress continues to accumulate until it finally reaches a breaking point and releases massive amounts of seismic waves that we feel as a devastating earthquake. Since this fault line sits in the Pacific, it also unfortunately disrupts the ocean, sending out gigantic waves from the epicenter. Pictured: Aftermath of the 9.0 quake that struck Japan in 2011. Scientists have estimated that the CSZ builds up into a major earthquake every 400 to 600 years, meaning it's already been 325 years since the last cataclysmic event. 'You can imagine, during the next earthquake, when the land drops down, you're going to suddenly have to contend with multiple centuries of equivalent sea level rise in minutes,' Dura warned.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists warn 'Doomsday tsunami' is ready to strike parts of the US: 'Only a matter of time'
A doomsday tsunami is likely to strike the US in the near future, but scientists say it's better if it hits sooner rather than later. A new study has found that a colossal earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) in America's Pacific Northwest is almost assured to take place by 2100, with a 37 percent chance it'll happen at any point in the next 50 years. The CSZ is a nearly 700-mile-long fault line off the west coast of North America where one tectonic plate, the Juan de Fuca Plate slides beneath another, the North American Plate. It stretches from northern Vancouver Island in Canada to the southern half of the US West Coast, running along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. If an earthquake between 8.0 and 9.0 in magnitude struck today, scientists warn that a 100-foot mega tsunami would wipe out most of the West Coast, as the coastline would drop by almost eight feet instantaneously. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimated that there would be 5,800 deaths from a CSZ earthquake alone and another 8,000 due to the mega tsunami it would unleash. The international team, led by researchers at Virginia Tech, added that these dire predictions will only get worse as more time passes because of rising sea levels. Professor Tina Dura, the lead author of the study, said: 'This is going to be a very catastrophic event for the US, for sure. The tsunami is going to come in, and it's going to be devastating.' A magnitude 9 earthquake in the northwest US could destroy half a million homes and cause the deaths of countless people. Pictured: Aftermath of the 9.0 quake that struck Japan in 2011 The Cascadia zone, which sits under Washington, Oregon, and northern California, is said to be 'overdue' for another major earthquake. The last one struck in 1700 By 2100, climate change is predicted to raise sea levels by as much as two feet. If the Cascadia Subduction Zone doesn't suffer another mega earthquake until then, it will likely amplify the devastation and flooding beyond the damage expected in 2025. The 2022 emergency report from FEMA projected that there would be more than 100,000 people injured and over 618,000 buildings damaged or destroyed during the next major CSZ earthquake. That damage would include more than 2,000 schools and 100 critical facilities along the West Coast, costing the country more than $134 billion. The new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences also predicted that the West Coast would be reshaped for centuries. The earthquake and mega tsunami would radically expand 100-year floodplains in Washington, Oregon, and California by as much as 115 square miles. Floodplains are areas expected to suffer historic flooding at least once every 100 years. If those regions suddenly expanded by more than 100 miles, more homes, roads, and local infrastructure would fall into dangerous flood zones. However, in the worst-case scenarios where subsidence (sinking of the ground) is at its highest, the researchers estimated that their flood zone predictions could more than double. 'After the tsunami comes and eventually recedes, the land is going to persist at lower levels,' Dura told BBC Science Focus. 'That floodplain footprint is going to be altered for decades or even centuries.' The Cascadia Subduction Zone extends along a nearly 700-mile strip of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern Canada, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. If it ruptured, it could cause a magnitude-9 earthquake throughout the region. The darker areas mark the areas that would receive the most damage, extending inland, where the devastation would be more moderate The Cascadia Subduction Zone is becoming a major area of concern now because of the growing amount of time that's passed since its last major seismic event. The last major earthquake struck on January 26, 1700. Historians and scientists estimate that it was a magnitude 9.0 earthquake which unleashed a mega tsunami that destroyed the village of Pachena Bay in British Columbia. Records of the event show that waves up to 100 feet high struck just 30 minutes after the quake, leaving no survivors. The CSZ marks the boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate is sliding (subducting) under the North American Plate. However, this movement isn't smooth. The plates periodically get stuck together at the fault line which builds up stress over many years. That stress continues to accumulate until it finally reaches a breaking point and releases massive amounts of seismic waves that we feel as a devastating earthquake. Since this fault line sits in the Pacific, it also unfortunately disrupts the ocean, sending out gigantic waves from the epicenter. Scientists have estimated that the CSZ builds up into a major earthquake every 400 to 600 years, meaning it's already been 325 years since the last cataclysmic event. 'You can imagine, during the next earthquake, when the land drops down, you're going to suddenly have to contend with multiple centuries of equivalent sea level rise in minutes,' Dura warned.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
A mega tsunami could strike the US with little warning: Understanding Cascadia, the danger zones, and how to get ready
Waiting. Biding its time. The Cascadia Subduction Zone, a sleeping giant beneath the Pacific Northwest, has remained eerily quiet for over 300 years. But when it finally awakens, it won't just be a powerful earthquake that hits the coastline. A towering tsunami, land collapse, and flooding on a historic scale may soon follow. What is the Cascadia Subduction Zone? The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a massive fault line running from northern California through Oregon and Washington, and all the way to British Columbia. It's where the oceanic Juan de Fuca Plate is slowly slipping beneath the North American Plate. But the plates don't glide smoothly — they get stuck. That strain builds for centuries until it finally breaks loose in a massive earthquake. The last major quake hit on January 26, 1700. Based on geological records, it likely had a magnitude between 8.7 and 9.2. That kind of power could strike again. According to the US National Seismic Hazard Model, there's now a 15% chance of a magnitude 8.0 or greater event within the next 50 years. Areas at risk When the rupture finally happens, it won't just cause violent shaking and a deadly tsunami. According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, coastal land across 24 estuaries from southern Washington to northern California could suddenly sink by up to 2.67 meters (8.76 feet). As per reports, these high risk areas include Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Alaska and Hawaii. "We talk about climate-driven sea level rise, which is occurring at three to four millimetres a year, and that does eventually add up," said Prof Tina Dura, the study's lead author, in an interview with BBC Science Focus . "But here we'll have two metres of sea level rise in minutes. Why aren't we talking about that more?" That sinking, or subsidence, would permanently change the coastline. Flood zones would dramatically expand — by as much as 300 km² (115 square miles) today. Areas from southern Washington to northern California could see permanent land drops, especially in low lying estuaries. This sinking land would make flooding worse and more widespread- even long after the tsunami has receded. The Long-term fallout Beyond the quake and tsunami, recovery efforts would be hampered by the new geography. Roads and emergency services may end up underwater. Saltwater could poison farmland. Wetlands that once helped block storm surges could vanish. A 2022 FEMA planning exercise estimated 5,800 deaths from the quake and another 8,000 from the tsunami. Over 618,000 buildings, including more than 2,000 schools and 100 key facilities, could be damaged or destroyed. The total projected economic impact? $134 billion. Infrastructure now at risk includes: 5 airports 18 emergency facilities (schools, hospitals, fire stations) 8 wastewater treatment plants 1 electric substation 57 contaminant sources (gas stations, chemical plants, etc.) Aftershocks that never stop The study warns that even if the quake struck decades from now, its effects could be magnified by climate change. By 2100, global sea levels are expected to rise another 60 cm (2 feet). In Cascadia, rising land has masked some of that rise — but when the quake hits and the land sinks, the sea will seem to rise instantly. The study also estimates that if the quake happens in 2100, floodplains could triple compared to today, expanding by up to 370 km² (145 sq miles). How can people prepare themselves? There are no easy answers. Cascadia is a unique problem faced by seismologists as it is so quiet. No one can predict the exact date or time it can wreak havoc. In case of an emergency, there are a few things that residents near the coast need to remember to ensure their safety Identifying and relocating vulnerable infrastructure Educating the public on risks Prepare an emergency kit, as the infrastructure will be destroyed Practice and update your emergency plan every 6 months. Write down emergency numbers; give copies to all family members.
