La Palma volcano: Rumours of feared mega-tsunami debunked by experts

[Celerity]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/la-palma-mega-tsunami-170629848.html



The Canary Islands have seen their first volcanic eruption in 50 years – causing old fears about a possible "mega-tsunami" that could lash America to resurface. Various misleading articles suggested the eruption in the Cumbre Vieja mountain range on La Palma island, which began on Sunday, could trigger a rockfall that would cause America to be hit with a huge tsunami.

Experts have stepped in to quash the fears, which are based on a 20-year-old scientific paper and documentary that have repeatedly been debunked. America’s National Tsunami Warning Center said: “There is NO tsunami danger for the U.S. East Coast at this time, following the eruption of Cumbre Vieja volcano, La Palma, Canary Islands.

"The National Tsunami Warning Center is monitoring this situation and based on all available data, including nearby water level observations, there is no tsunami hazard for the US East Coast." The eruption has forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people and destroyed about 100 houses. It began on Sunday, shooting lava hundreds of metres into the air, engulfing houses and forests, and sending molten rock towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Fears of a "mega-tsunami" were initially sparked in 2001 by Dr Simon Day and colleagues at University College London. Dr Day suggested an eruption of Cumbre Vieja could dislodge a huge section of the island of La Palma. The paper suggested this could lead to a vast tsunami that would be 2,000 feet high at the point the rock entered the water, and still up to 150ft high when it reached America.

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[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

1. "There is NO tsunami danger for the US East coast AT THIS TIME..."

so, maybe tomorrow?

[Roxi]

2. Probably not

However, I’m not so sure that such an event is impossible, which is what’s implied when scientists repeatedly debunk a theory like that.

The Hawaiian islands have had similar collapses in the past, so there seems to be a possibility that it could happen at La Palma.

I’m not a geologist, though, so I have to trust that there’s no imminent danger.

[LeftInTX]

3. But did it lead to a mega-tsunami?