[Stealth]

it's all predictions, nothing more.  i wouldn't get too worried.

still, it's pretty disturbing to think about.

[Cyker]

I saw a documentory about this about 5 years ago, but I forget which island it was talking about.

With this particular island, they found that there were lots of vertical layers of porous and igneous rock and the water pressure building up in the porous rock could trigger a slide.

They were supposed to drill some holes into that part to relieve the pressure but I never heard anything else about that.

The island was volcanic, but the volcano itself it was supposed to be dormant.

The thing about stuff like this, is that nobody gives a crap until it's too late. The asian tsunami was a normal one, albeit caused by a massive earthquake.

Earthquake-generated tsunami's are relatively limited in their maximum size, but these so-called mega-tsunami' are a **** lot more scary -  If you consider the damage and loss of life caused by this recent one, and then compare it to a worst-case 'mega-tsunami', well... it don't bear thinking about...

[Rictor]

This was posted a few days ago in the asian tsunami thread.

I live far enough inland not to have to worry about it.

[Fineus]

Out of interest - did knowledge of this threat become known just after the Asian disaster - or has it been known for some time and is only being talked about now because it's happened to someone other than America?

It just seems a bit... stupid to worry about it now. I mean, the next time a volcano erupts - are we going to hear about how half a dozen countries could be blown to dust if certain volcanos erupted?

[Hippo]

Some time, like, in 2000 (5 years ago now!)

[Knight Templar]

T probably just noticed it while reading about Tsunamis because of the Asian diaster -- my guess.

And err, how exactly does an island "colapsing" create a tidal wave that distructive over that large a coastline? Also, why just the U.S. What about Africa and Spain?

[Fineus]

Ahh, I see. So - now that its happened for real - people are finally taking notice of just how screwed they are if things went tits up.

[Knight Templar]

Hehe, tits.

[Fineus]

Shuddup you

[diamondgeezer]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
Well...any plans on how to stop it?

Drill holes in it to relieve the pressure, then remove the cap?

Release of pressure in a volcanic system is called an erruption . In this case, what you've basically got is this;




The whole system is being heated from underneath, so the trapped water expands. As one layer breaks off and slides in to the sea, the pressure is further released and more rock is broken off - and you got yourself a nice chain reaction. Bye bye eastern sea board

[EDIT]I've known about this for years. That's why my sense of superiority towards merkins is justified - I know they'll all be dead soon

__________________
Diamond Geezer studied geology for four years and knows what he's going on about

[deep_eyes]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
Woohoo! More bonage for the world!
And I feel great to be living on a low-lying island in the carribbean!
Anyway, are they monitoring the volcano? Any activity lately?

that blows dude i live in NYC.

[pyro-manic]

Originally posted by Knight Templar
T probably just noticed it while reading about Tsunamis because of the Asian diaster -- my guess.

And err, how exactly does an island "colapsing" create a tidal wave that distructive over that large a coastline? Also, why just the U.S. What about Africa and Spain?

The whole island is one big volcano (it's one of the Canaries, off western Africa). There's a big crack down the side of the volcano, and the next big eruption will cause the whole western side of the island to slide into the sea. That's 500 billion tonnes of rock - it'll make a BIG splash, and the ripple will travel across the Atlantic. When it hits shallow water (off the US coast) it'll break as a very, very big wave. Then it's bye bye to all the cities along the eastern seaboard.

There was an episode of Horizon about this a few years back. Also one about the Yellowstone mega-volcano that's going to blow sky-high and  cause a mass extinction...

[Grey Wolf]

I'd be protected by the aging mountain range between me and the coast. Of course, there are other fun natural disasters waiting to happen, from volcanoes in Washington, earthquakes in the Great Plains, and Yellowstone blowing it's top....

[diamondgeezer]

You realise that NY will take the global economy down with it, right?

__________________
Diamond Geezer is always right

[Nico]

But that's nothing. US people have much worse than that hanging over their heads
Google "Yellow Stone super volcano", and fear

[Grey Wolf]

Of course. I was referring to the immediate effect, as in I wouldn't die, as opposed to the long term effect of global depression.

[WMCoolmon]

I think the current administration is too worried about terrorists and Iraq to spend time on something that's not a national issue - like the East Coast being wiped out.

[IceFire]

England and Ireland would be hit by a 10 meter or less wave which although relatively substantial would not be the devastation wrecked by a 20-60 meter wave all across the east coast of North America.

Plus I'd give Ireland a good chance of getting away fairly decently in some areas.  I've seen the maps and the terrain...some of that stuff is solid rock that rises from the sea...not a low lying beach with no elevation.  It'll be a heck of a crash...

[.::Tin Can::.]

Im glad I live in Texas.

[Grey Wolf]

If the Carribean gets hit, so will Texas.