Scientists at Virginia Tech have sounded a warning alarm regarding the potential for a mammoth tsunami set off by a huge earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to California and is ranked one of the most hazardous seismic zones in North America.High Risk of Massive Earthquake in Coming Decades
New research points to a 15% possibility of a magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquake striking the Cascadia zone in the next 50 years. If such an earthquake were to take place, waves as high as 1,000 feet would dash into coastal cities like Seattle, Portland, and bring danger to areas of Alaska and Hawaii. The waves could stretch several miles inland, breaching the coastal defenses with ease, and giving residents little time to flee.
In contrast to typical tsunamis which usually create waves only a few feet high, mega tsunamis are enormous, occasionally several hundred or even thousands of feet high. They are caused by enormous underwater perturbations such as earthquakes, volcanic explosions, or submarine landslides.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone extends for more than 700 miles, from Vancouver Island in Canada to Cape Mendocino in northern California. It is the most earthquake-prone fault line in North America and has a volatile history. The area has had 43 major earthquakes over the last 10,000 years. The most recent one happened on January 26, 1700 — a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that produced a tsunami and created widespread subsidence on the coast.
Lead author Tina Dura highlighted the damage that such an occurrence would wreak today by stating that it would result in “extensive coastal flooding,” with long-term recovery efforts being difficult and long-lasting.
The regions most likely to be affected include southern Washington, northern Oregon, and northern California. Alaska and Hawaii are also at risk. The Oregon Emergency Management Department states that a repeat of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake would blast tsunami waves of up to 100 feet onto the coast.
The report has global implications, particularly for nations with long coastlines and vulnerable communities. Countries like India, which lost over 200,000 lives in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami — are all too familiar with the catastrophic impact such natural disasters can have.
The Virginia Tech study highlights the imperative of disaster preparedness in an all-encompassing manner. The reinforcement of the infrastructure and public consciousness are essential to minimizing the potentially devastating effects of a mega tsunami.
