Skywatch Media News for April the second 2020 if you happen to reside along the
1680 miles span that makes up the US Gulf Coast then you understand the
threats that this region of the country realizes from powerful hurricanes and
the storm surges and floods that often accompany them these forces of nature
occur on a regular basis from one year to the next but we never know just how
threatening they are until they unleash their fury now it appears that another
real threat exists near a sizeable trench located in the Gulf of Mexico
about 40 miles off the mouth of the Old River Delta called the Mississippi
Canyon it is from this specific region that a potential 15-foot wall of water
could scurry across Southeast Louisiana if a significant underwater landslide
were to occur but unlike the ample hurricane warnings provided residents
along the Gulf Coast a tsunami warning would come with only an hour's notice
not days subsurface landslides in the Gulf of Mexico have occurred about once
every millennium and the timeframe for the next big event in this region is
about to expire although an event of this caliber is considered low
probability it is nonetheless very credible in fact the National Weather
Service has discovered evidence of prior landslides in the Mississippi Canyon
that could lead to a significant tsunami this would be accomplished by the
dislodging of canyon material that would then lead to water displacement and the
build-up of a large rolling wave that could hit the gulf coast within a very
short timeframe this computer simulation displays a tremendous landslide along
the Mississippi Canyon that generates a wave between 6 and 65 feet across the US
Gulf Coast a tsunami generated by subsurface dislodgement may not be
that noticeable in the open Gulf but as the wave reaches the shallower waters
the wave will rise up dramatically
this of course is just a hypothetical simulation of what could take place but
if an event of this magnitude were to occur and you happen to reside along the
coastline of Louisiana a wall of water as high as 15 feet or larger heading in
your direction is certainly a devastating prospect so what could cause
a major tsunami in the Gulf of Mexico it could be strong seismic activity
measuring 7.00 or greater although earthquakes of this intensity
are extremely rare in this area the eruption of gas bubbles originating from
base sediment layers could also play a role or a giant subsurface landslide on
the edge of the canyon is a strong possibility these three would be the
most likely causes of a tsunami threat in this region if you ever wondered how
tsunamis are generated or what forces may be involved in this natural
phenomenon then here is a bit of useful information
tsunamis for the most part are formed as a result of submarine earthquakes but
they can also occur as a result of the eruption or the collapse of coastal
volcanoes or from massive landslides in coastal areas that are most often
triggered by earthquakes the wall of water can be generated by the impact of
the landslide as it enters the water or as the water displaces behind and ahead
of a rapidly moving submarine landslide as shown in this Geoscience animated
presentation
we know that historical data has shown that submarine landslides have occurred
in the zones located across the Gulf of Mexico but historical research also
concludes that massive volcanic landslides have occurred several times
in the Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa scientists have warned
that similar events may occur in our future a big landslide in the Canary
Islands could generate large tsunami waves both at close and great distances
with the potential to inundate large coastal areas as far away as the eastern
seaboard of North America back in the year 1755 a great earthquake believed to
be in the range of eight point five shook Portugal's capital Lisbon not only
did it lead the city in runes but it generated a tsunami forty feet in height
that surged of the tagus estuary nearly an hour after the quake which was then
followed by two more waves in Portugal's coastal city of Lagos the tsunami
reached a height of nearly 100 feet and severely damaged ports in both Spain and
Morocco eventually the tsunami wave made its way into the English Channel and
then across the Atlantic
Rock Falls and avalanches along coastal inlets also have the potential to create
regional tsunamis that pose a threat to coastal ecosystems and to populated
regions on July the 9th of the year 1958 a magnitude seven point nine earthquake
located on the Fairweather fault triggered a rock avalanche at the head
point of Lituya Bay Alaska the landslide created a monster wave that ran up more
than 1,700 feet on the opposite end of the bay and then sent an unprecedented
100-foot wall of water across Lituya Bay this simulation of the Lituya Bay event
may provide a better understanding of the magnitude of the mega tsunami that
was generated by the Alaska earthquake of 1958
if you reside along the US Gulf Coast region or along the eastern seaboard the
prospect of sinking land and rising seas are not your only concerns the threat of
a tsunami has now joined the list of real threats for coastal residents in
perilous times we must do what we can to protect ourselves our families and our
loved ones we do this through careful watch of any dangers or difficulties
that may arise unexpectedly or with very little warning by being vigilant we find
it easier to establish a barrier that keeps us at a safe distance from harm's
way make it your practice to do all that you
can to stay healthy and safe so that together we may continue our journey on
this planet thanks for watching