Mega-tsunami wave could wipe out New York and Miami at ANY TIME because of landslide fear in Spain
Disaster expert Dr Simon Day says possible landslide caused by Cumbre Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands could unleash killer surge across the Atlantic
WAVES up to 80ft (25 metres) high could destroy New York and Miami in a mega-tsunami if a landslide takes place in Spain, an expert claims.
Dr Simon Day, a , says the apocalyptic event could also cause 10ft (3 metres) tall waves to slam into Britain’s southwestern shoreline.
He says the mega-tsunami could be triggered if there is a landslide in the Canary Islands – an archipelago belonging to Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean just 60 miles from Morocco’s west coast.
New York, Boston and Miami, as well as the Caribbean, could be wrecked by the killer wave that could also hit Central and South American countries.
The boffin says the Cumbre Vieja volcano could dump a chunk of land the size of the Isle of Man into the ocean, triggering a deathly wall of water similar to the one depicted in the popular film The Day After Tomorrow.
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He told the : “A wave could curve towards Britain, depending on the power, but it will have the biggest impact on the Americas.”
Dr Day first put forward his theory 15 years ago and has admitted not everyone has been a fan.
He said: “It's [been] fifteen years of controversy. There was a series of objections. But independent modelling has shown the same things as me. My response is it’s better to know so we can prepare.”
The original report read: “Even after crossing the Atlantic, a lateral collapse of Cumbre Vieja volcano could impose a great sequence of waves of 10-25 metres high on the shores of the Americas.”
Over a decade later, his fellow experts are taking Dr Day’s predictions more seriously following, amongst others, the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 which killed approximately 250,000 people after an underwater landslide in the Indian Ocean.
The US Geological Society and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are two organisations that now encourage residents living on coastlines to prepare for such an event.
A spokesman for NOAA said: “The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2009 Samoa tsunami, the 2010 Chile tsunami, the 2011 Tohoku (Japan) tsunami: In less than 10 years, these four events focused the world's attention on the rare but very real threat of tsunamis.
“Major tsunamis do not happen often, but when they do, they can have a significant impact on life and property. Even small tsunamis, which are more frequent, can cause loss of life, injuries and considerable damage.
“In the United States, the threat posed by tsunamis is greatest along the Pacific and Caribbean Coasts, but tsunamis are also possible on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.
“Although a tsunami cannot be prevented, the impact of a tsunami can be mitigated through community preparedness, timely warnings, and effective response.”
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