Experts Caution Potential for 1,000-Foot Tsunami Impacting the U.S.

Researchers from Virginia Tech, featured in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, caution that a significant seismic event along the Cascadia Subduction Zone—a geological fault that extends from northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino, California—could unleash a mega-tsunami with towering waves of up to 1,000 feet. The research forecasts a 15 percent likelihood of an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher occurring in the area within the next five decades, a scenario that could inundate coastal regions by as much as 6.5 feet, posing risks to urban centers such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Millions of residents on the West Coast, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii, could find themselves within the range of potential devastation.
Disclosure:
This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.

ai-generated