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A mega-tsunami could threaten parts of the U.S. from a Cascadia quake.
A Virginia Tech study estimates a 15% chance of an 8.0 magnitude quake.
Coastal land may sink up to 6.5 feet, increasing tsunami impact severity.
A powerful mega-tsunami could threaten large swathes of the United States, particularly the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii, if a massive earthquake strikes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, scientists have warned. The findings are part of a new study by Virginia Tech researchers, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research estimates a 15% chance of an earthquake greater than magnitude 8.0 hitting the region within the next 50 years. Such an event could cause coastal land to sink by up to 6.5 feet, significantly amplifying the tsunami’s destructive force.
The Cascadia Subduction Zone – a 600-mile-long fault line stretching from northern California to Canada’s Vancouver Island – is where the Juan de Fuca Plate is gradually sliding beneath the North American Plate. Scientists say this geological setup has the potential to trigger massive “megathrust” earthquakes capable of displacing vast amounts of water.
According to the study, Northern California, northern Oregon, and southern Washington are among the highest-risk areas. Alaska and Hawaii also face potential threats due to their proximity to active seismic and volcanic regions.
What is a Mega-Tsunami?
Unlike typical tsunamis, which often result in wave heights of a few feet, mega-tsunamis are generated by large-scale underwater disturbances and can produce waves hundreds of feet high, travelling several miles inland. These rare but devastating events have occurred in the past and could pose a severe risk if triggered in populated coastal areas.