“You seem to know a lot about the subject. I saw the TV program on NATGEO or The Science Channel a couple of years ago, but when it happens (the La Palma mountain tsunami) would the resulting 160’ high wave completely wash over the Florida Peninsula on into the Gulf of Mexico?”
I’m no expert, but I seriously doubt even a 160’ wave would significantly impact the GoM after traversing Florida, in fact I don’t think it would make it clear across at all. The long wavelength of this type of wave would allow it to potentially go far inland though. There might be some direct impact to Mexico and maybe south Texas as the wave passes south of Cuba...it also depends on how deep the bottom is there.
I understand there’s of controversy about how large this wave would be at the US East Coast even in the worst case scenario. It is worth noting that landslides have caused some amazing waves in other places like Alaska.
I’d just as soon not find out how big it’ll be in my lifetime...here’s hoping! :-)
I read this morning that the earthquakes are still quite deep (19 to 14km) and not yet moving upward. The lack of movement is a good thing but could change, of course, particularly with the frequency this volcano is showing. Thanks for the update.
The mean elevation of Florida is only 100 feet.The highest point is Britton Hills at 345 feet.I don’t know if a 160 fot wave would make it across either,let’s hope we don’t get to find out.
The big landslike tsunamis in Alaska occured where the wave energy was channeled and focused inide of bays and straits.
In the wide open Atlantic, the energy from a landslide-created tsunami would spread out in 360*, rapidly dissipating its energy.
A single-point event like even a giant landslide would NOT be like the Indian Ocean Christmas tsunami, where the earthquake took place over 100s of miles, pushing up a huge linear tsunami. In that situation, the energy can’t dissipate in 360*, because the long wave reinforces itself or “holds itself up” across its length.
Anybody who conflates the Christmas earthquake tsunami with a single-point landslide tsunami is ignorant of the physics involved.
Why worry about Florida? The entire East coast up the the height of the wave - what ever that height turns out to be - will be obliterated - in the sense that everything will be scowered down to bedrock.
See Lituya Bay, Alaska for what the damage will look like. Two video included.
You can't surf your way outta this one.