Potential For Giant Tsunami

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

News story today about a potentially extra large tsunami generated by a future Alaskan earthquake:

Two teams of geologists say portions of the seafloor along the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska could produce tsunamis more devastating than anything seen in the past century. They say California and Hawaii are directly in the line of fire.

"The stress isn't being relieved by small seismic events," Miller says, referring to small earthquakes. "It suggests that it's building up a tremendous amount of tension." If too much tension builds up, the segment will unzip along the plate margin or along faults in that margin, causing a quake.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2...california

[Clayjacks]

So we should buy milk and toilet paper now?

[1voyager1]

That's the first I've heard of that one.
And, I've lived in the Aleutians along its north edge.

This is the one I've been considering to be the primary threat to Hawai'i:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/0...ly-big-one

Then, I suppose they'll find another big one lurking to the West of us.
Living in the mid Pacific may not be as idyllic a one thought it to be.

I have lived my entire life on the West Coast of North America, California to Alaska, where earthquakes are a fact of life.
Many a night I have lain in bed wondering if I needed to get up and run as the house shook.
I have watched waves move through the surface of the ground while looking down a straight stretch of a highway.

I would never live below a 150' elevation in an area where tsunamis generated from all around the Ring of Fire are focused.
Then again, if an asteroid were to fall into the Pacific, the summits of Maunas Kea and Loa might be the only possible sources of refuge.
Although, it might be a bit hard to hang on as the shock wave blew through.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

So we should buy milk and toilet paper now?

If you like.

I posted the possibility of an XL tsunami because many people I know living near the ocean tend to base their evacuation plans on the wave sizes they've seen during their lifetime. Or 1946 & 1960.

This study shows if the wave is generated from a particular fault in the Aleutian Islands, we might want to consider a different course of action. Perhaps drive at least a mile away from the coast. That's my new plan.

[pahoated]

The Aleutians are north and west relative to Puna area, so a tsunami from there would hit north Hawaii island more than south and east Hawaii island.

The biggest threat for the east side of Hawaii island is from earthquakes on the west coast of North America and South America. There are the Juan De Fuca, Cascadia, San Andreas fault lines, all showing signs of increased activity, mainly Nazca plate all down the west coast of South America. The damage from tsunamis is very directional.

Hilo Bay is a magnet for west coast tsunamis and that is why Banyon Drive is never going to be another Waikiki. It doesn't make economic or rational sense to invest in multi million dollar resorts around Hilo Bay for this reason. Every day is like Russian roulette, wake up, spin the chamber, click, enjoy another day.

"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"

[Kapoho Joe]

quote:

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Originally posted by pahoated

Every day is like Russian roulette, wake up, spin the chamber, click, enjoy another day.

---

In light of the above, you make a lot more sense now Ted.

[leilaniguy]

Hey ted- the 1946 tsunami that hit Hilo originated in the Aleutians. You might check your science and history before typing a lot of blather.

[Tink]

My first memory of Tsunami was being four years old and landing in Hilo with my Mom And Dad February 1961 and seeng the mud marks on the buildings that were left. Kind of fuzzy memory, but there. Since, all up and down the San Andreas from Santa Cruz North and up and down Hawaii. Rode out the Loma Prieta under my house while the half I was working on was on jacks and blocking.
My take is know your most direst escape route, and similar to Ted's daily mantra, I wake up, say "boy am I glad to see you!" as I look in the mirror, and make it an "eight ball corner pocket" kind of day no matter what is dealt.

Edited for grammar

Community begins with Aloha

[VancouverIslander]

My place in Eden Roc is probably safe from that, but maybe not the one in the Comox Valley. At least there will be a few hours warning for the BI, and on Vancouver Island if the earth is shaking a lot, get to higher ground!

Just call me Mike

[PauHana]

"Then again, if an asteroid were to fall into the Pacific, the summits of Maunas Kea and Loa might be the only possible sources of refuge.
Although, it might be a bit hard to hang on as the shock wave blew through."

Oh great! Now they will change the building code requirements to include an asteroid safe room.