How and When?
Studies have shown that Ireland could be at high risk of being hit by a tsunami, particularly the south and west coasts of Ireland. This huge threat to our country lies on the island of La Palma in the Canary islands. The Cumbre Vieja volcano is an active volcano on this island. Most of the rocky western flank of Cumbre Vieja is unstable enough to be dislodged in the next big eruption of the volcano, which is active enough to erupt once or twice a century.
A massive slab of rock, twice the volume of the isle of man would break away from the island into the Atlantic ocean to cause a tsunami, bigger than any recorded. This could potentially form a dome of water 900m high and tens of kilometres wide. It would have enough power to sustain the 9 hour journey to the American east coast. Even though the wave would be much smaller when it reached Ireland, for low-lying land along the south coast, it could penetrate up to a few miles.
We do not know exactly when this will happen, however, scientists say it could happen at any time within the foreseeable future.
