Europe TSUNAMI warning: Fears ‘collapsing’ Mount Etna will cause disaster wave
A DEVASTATING tsunami could hit Europe if “sinking” Mount Etna collapses into the sea, scientists have warned.
By Rachel O’Donoghue
DailyStar.co.uk
11th October 2018
The active volcano – located in the eastern part of Sicily – is slowly slipping into the sea in small movements geologists have been measuring over the years.
And it is feared a complete collapse could have catastrophic consequences.
Dr Morelia Urlaub, of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research, who has been studying the volcano’s slippage, warned there has been increased movement.
According to her research team, movement of around 3.9cm has been recorded in just one week between May 12 and 20th.
This is a dramatic increase from the average shift of 3-5cm per year.
Dr Urlaub’s team has concluded the collapse of Etna’s underwater flank is far more likely to occur than previously thought.
And following the latest data, it is thought the volcano could shift far more quickly – potentially a sudden movement that could cause a tsunami.
The paper, which was published in Science Mag, states: “Catastrophic collapses of ocean island volcanoes or those built at the shoreline pose the largest threat as the sudden displacement of large amounts of material in water can trigger tsunamis with extreme effects.
“Assessing the hazard potential of catastrophic collapse requires a profound understanding of the mechanisms that cause flank movement, which is also crucial for the design of appropriate monitoring strategies.”
Scientists have been warning about collapsing Etna for years now.
In March, a bombshell study concluded the volcano has been shifting towards the Mediterranean at an unstoppable rate.
The Rest…HERE
