The circa A.D. 1000 Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Photograph from ADS/Alamy
Posted on 11/01/2012 7:36:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Nearly 1,500 years ago a massive flood in Geneva reportedly swept away everything in its path -- mills, houses, cattle, even entire churches.
Now researchers believe they've found the unlikely sounding culprit: a tsunami-like killer wave in the Alps. The threat, they add, may still be very much alive. (Video: Tsunamis 101.)
Spurred by a huge landslide, the medieval Lake Geneva "tsunami" (technically defined as a seismic ocean wave) swamped the city, which was already a trading hub, according to a new study.
Far from any ocean, the massive wave was likely generated by a massive landslide into the Rhone River, which feeds and flows through Lake Geneva, according to a group of Swiss researchers.
The team analyzed a massive sediment deposit at the bottom of the lake's easternmost corner and determined that the material had once sat above the lake and had slid all at once into the Rhone, near where the river flows into the eastern end of Lake Geneva (map).
The sudden splash sent a tsunami barreling down the length of the 225-square-mile (580-square-kilometer) lake toward Geneva, at the western end of the lake, the study suggests. Researchers estimate the wave was between 9 and 26 feet (3 and 8 meters) tall, depending on how quickly the rockfall occurred, which they were unable to measure.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalgeographic.com ...
The circa A.D. 1000 Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Photograph from ADS/Alamy
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This is an interesting theory.
Lake Geneva, regardless, remains one of the most beautiful vistas in the world.
Which it didn't but that's because they already knew back in the DeSoto's day that this could happen on that lake so NOBODY built really close to the shoreline ~ plus the lake used to have an uncontrolled height above sealevel and could change over night.
I'd guess Geneva was quite small when this 24 foot tsunami took it out!
Global warming?
Now will you take global warming seriously?! Chirps Al Gore.
A lot of people have felt that way about the Alps generally. :’)
Prehistoric Disaster: An Alpine Pompeii from the Stone Age
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2103309/posts
Stone-age colony discovered at Lake Bracciano (9,000 Year Old Canoe)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1508458/posts
prehistoric lake settlement site:freerepublic.com
Al Gore, upon reading this report, shouted out “Bush did it.”
Michael Moore is planning a movie also blaming Bush for this earth tsunami. Playing Bush will be Oliver Stoned. Playing the tsunami will be Roseanne Barr.
Playing the innocent Swiss milkgirl, Sandra Fluke.
Playing God will be Barack Obama.
Coming to an insane asylum near you, soon.
This thread has been a teachable moment for my 21 year old son, leading to a discussion about the Lituya Bay, AK tsunami in 1958.
Deep Purple musta cranked up the amps...
...water in the sky...
For the last time, I wasn’t involved! I know nothing of the events leading up to the creation of the tsunami.
Any alleged eyewitness accounts that I was seen surfing the tsunami are *clear* fabrications and not to be believed!
Tell it to the judge ya beach bum. Now come along quietly.
Clare Places: Islands: Mutton Island or Enniskerry
(9th century catastrophe in Ireland)
Clare County Library | prior to November 19, 2005 | staff writer
Posted on 11/18/2005 11:58:58 AM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1524751/posts
Kerry island structure may be due to tsunami waves in medieval times
Irish Central | Thursday, July 26, 2012 | Patrick Counihan
Posted on 07/26/2012 8:31:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2911273/posts
They aren’t so much lakes as they are freshwater inland seas. :’)
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